The Rams bumped Myles Garrett's 2026 pay to at least $37 million in a reworked deal
Garrett's compensation for the coming season jumped about $5.5 million after the trade. The total value is unchanged, and one quirk in the deal protects the Browns if Garrett ever lands in the AFC North.
After acquiring Myles Garrett, the Rams reworked his contract, raising his 2026 compensation from $31.5 million to at least $37 million, a bump of roughly $5.5 million. The total value of his deal is unchanged; only the structure for the coming season moved. He keeps his no-trade clause.
What changed?
Only the 2026 number. Garrett's compensation for the coming season went from $31.5 million to at least $37 million, while the overall value of the contract stayed the same. It's a cash-flow adjustment rather than a raise on the total: the Rams pulled money forward into 2026 as part of completing the trade. Garrett retains the no-trade clause that gave him the leverage to pick Los Angeles in the first place.
Where did the original deal come from?
Cleveland. Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Browns last offseason, then had it modified in March to shift his option-bonus dates from the 15th day of the league year to seven days before the regular season. That earlier tweak set up the flexibility the Rams used to rework the 2026 compensation after the trade. The contract has now been adjusted twice in one calendar year without changing its headline value.
What's the AFC North wrinkle?
A poison pill protecting Cleveland. The trade sent Jared Verse and picks spanning 2027 to 2029 to the Browns, and there's a specific condition attached: if the Rams ever trade Garrett to an AFC North team, the 2029 pick Cleveland receives converts to a first-rounder. It's a clause designed to discourage Garrett from ending up back in his old division, on a rival, at a discount to the Browns. The detail tells you how seriously Cleveland took the long-term implications of moving a generational player.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Source - Garrett's '26 compensation increased in reworked deal
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