A concerned Los Angeles Rams player has expressed that his former teammate Jared Verse requires 'love and support' following his trade to the Cleveland Browns. Verse was a key component of the blockbuster package agreed between the two teams on Monday, which sends two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to Los Angeles.
The compensation for the Browns also includes three draft picks in a deal that significantly bolsters the Rams' already strong chances of reaching the Super Bowl, which will be held at their own SoFi Stadium in February. However, Verse now heads to Cleveland, where the Browns have struggled in recent seasons, posting a winning record only once in the last five years and making just one playoff appearance in that span, a wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans in 2023.
Rams safety Quentin Lake took to X on Monday night to urge fans to support Verse as he leaves a championship contender for one of the NFL's worst teams. Lake posted: 'Jared, my locker mate, is one of the most amazing human beings and teammates I have ever been around. Sucks that some things are out of players control but love and support is what he needs in this moment. Love my guy to death and can't wait to see him tear up the league.'
The Browns were reportedly adamant that they would not part with Garrett unless Verse was included in the deal. Along with Verse, the Browns receive a 2027 first-round selection, a second-round pick in 2028, and a 2029 third-round selection. Garrett, who is dating Winter Olympics star Chloe Kim, was the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year last season after recording 23 sacks, breaking the NFL single-season record. He is expected to report to the Rams' facility on Tuesday and hold a news conference to discuss the trade.
Garrett's addition marks the first time the reigning AP NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year will be teammates. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won his first MVP award last season. Garrett demanded a trade at the end of the 2024 season but had signed a four-year contract extension last March worth $204.8 million, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The contract included a no-trade clause.
Browns GM Andrew Berry had long stated that Garrett would play his entire career in Cleveland, but Garrett's lingering frustrations over the franchise's direction and the chance for a fresh start prompted the move. In a farewell post on social media, Garrett wrote: 'Nine years. It's hard to put into words what that really means when so much of your life has been shaped in one place, around one team, and with one community behind you. Cleveland made me tougher. You challenged me. You taught me about perseverance, about showing up even when things aren't easy, and what loyalty really looks like. Through the highs, lows, setbacks, injuries, expectations, inclement weather, and difficult seasons, you all kept showing up. I never took that for granted. To Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and every Browns fan.'
