McVay, Rams 'aggressive' with shot to land star like Garrett - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — While trading for Myles Garrett wasn't a quick process, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said the team wanted to be «aggressive» in pursuit of the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year because of how «rare» of an opportunity it was.

On Monday, the Rams and Cleveland Browns announced a deal that sent Garrett to Los Angeles in exchange for outside linebacker Jared Verse, a first-round draft pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-round pick in 2029.

«We feel really fortunate that this feels very similar when we were fortunate enough to be able to acquire a player like Matthew Stafford,» McVay said during Garrett's introductory news conference Tuesday. «Things like this don't present themselves and we wanted to be aggressive.»

The Rams traded for Stafford in 2021, sending quarterback Jared Goff to the Lions as part of the package to acquire the veteran quarterback.

Garrett said he found out that the trade was «even a possibility» about a week ago and said the news was a «surprise.» Garrett had a no-trade clause in his contract and said the decision about whether to waive it to be traded to Los Angeles was one he had to «sleep on.»

«I don't take my time in Cleveland for granted,» Garrett said. «I did love being there.… It tears at you to leave and to break away, but that's just a part of the things you learn and have to adjust to as you grow up and learn you have to move on.»

Garrett said that «since the very beginning, it's always been about winning.»

«And it just breaks down to the timing of everything,» Garrett said. «What does it realistically look like to be a winner now? And to have an opportunity to do that immediately, that was an opportunity that was just too difficult to pass up.