Instant Reaction: How Rams’ blockbuster Myles Garrett trade impacts Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks’ path to a repeat Super Bowl title just got notably tougher.

In a stunning move, the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams are finalizing a blockbuster trade to acquire two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, according to a report from ESPN and NFL Network on Monday morning.

LA Rams reportedly swing blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett

In exchange for the 30-year-old Garrett, the Rams are reportedly sending Cleveland two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.

Garrett, who broke the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks in 2025, bolsters a talent-laden Rams team that remains likely the biggest threat to the Seahawks’ hopes of becoming just the third repeat Super Bowl champion this century.

“Goodness, gracious,” Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus said in reaction on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy just moments after the news broke. “The West just got that much tougher, man.”

The Rams were by far the Seahawks’ toughest obstacle this past season. The teams split a pair of nail-biting regular-season showdowns and then played another down-to-the-wire classic in Seattle’s 31-27 NFC Championship triumph.

The Rams then addressed their biggest weakness this offseason, overhauling their cornerback room by trading for All-Pro Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson in free agency.

And now, they have the NFL’s best pass rusher and reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

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Garrett has piled up 125.5 sacks over his nine-year NFL career, including at least 14.0 sacks in each of the past five seasons. Garrett’s 83 sacks over the past five seasons are 17.5 more than any other player in the league over that span.

“That’s an earthquake-level move here in the NFC West,” said Bump and Stacy producer Curtis Rogers, who was hosting the show alongside Bumpus.

“The trade for Trent McDuffie, that was a nice trade that the Rams made, but I don’t think tilted anything in their favor in terms of the NFC (or) the NFC West,” he added. “It just felt like it was still the Seahawks running things. But this one, I mean, it’s Myles Garrett. … That is a trade that could very much shift things toward the Rams’ favor.”

The Seahawks did an impressive job this offseason in retaining talent from their Super Bowl-winning team. By snap counts, they are returning 14 of their top 15 offensive players, 14 of their top 17 defensive players and 15 of their top 16 special teams players from last season.

But the Rams have countered with bold, aggressive moves – none bigger than this one.

“Before this move, people would talk about the Rams on paper (as) being the better team than the Seahawks, and I would laugh at them,” Bumpus said. “I’m like, alright, well, I could see your argument, but I’m not buying it.

“Now, I’m looking at it and I go, OK, I can really buy your argument. … The Los Angeles Rams got that much better.”

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