Cleveland Browns Jared Verse trade criticized

The Cleveland Browns on June 1 sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick, the team said. The deal immediately drew criticism on X, where some fans and commentators argued Cleveland did not get enough back for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. General manager Andrew Berry became the main target of that reaction after the compensation became public. The trade was announced Monday, one day before the online backlash highlighted in posts circulating Tuesday. ### Why are people saying the Browns were “robbed”? A post on X that circulated Monday described the return for Garrett as “robbery” and singled out Berry by name, reflecting the sharpest version of the criticism in the immediate aftermath of the trade. The complaint centered on the idea that Cleveland received only one first-round pick, even with Verse included in the package. The Browns’ official announcement listed the return as Verse plus three future selections, with only one of those picks coming in the first round. (clevelandbrowns.com) ESPN and NFL.com reported the same structure, and NBC Sports said the Rams had initially tried to keep Verse out of the deal before Cleveland insisted he be included. ### What exactly did Cleveland get back for Myles Garrett? (x.com) Cleveland received Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick, according to the Browns and multiple national outlets. The Rams acquired Garrett in return. Jared Verse arrived in the trade as the key player in the package. (clevelandbrowns.com) NBC Sports, citing ESPN’s reporting, said the Browns would not complete a deal without Verse included. Yahoo Sports described Verse as the centerpiece of the return and noted he was the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year. ### Why is Andrew Berry taking the heat instead of Jared Verse? (clevelandbrowns.com) Andrew Berry’s role as Browns general manager made him the focus once the trade terms were known. The viral criticism did not center on Verse’s talent as much as on Berry’s decision to move Garrett and accept a package built around one young pass rusher and future picks. Yahoo Sports reported that Berry was not getting the level of universal condemnation some might have expected, suggesting reaction was mixed rather than one-directional. (nbcsports.com) Still, the social-media posts highlighted in this story were explicitly aimed at Berry and at the franchise’s judgment under his leadership. That distinction matters because the criticism was about valuation and decision-making, not just roster fit. (x.com) ### Why was Jared Verse so central to the deal? Jared Verse was central because Cleveland insisted on getting an established young edge rusher back, according to NBC Sports’ summary of ESPN’s reporting. The Rams had initially offered picks without Verse, but the Browns pushed for him as talks intensified after the draft. (sports.yahoo.com) Verse has produced 12 sacks and 22 tackles for loss across two NFL seasons, NBC Sports reported. Yahoo Sports and USA Today described him as a major component of the return rather than an add-on, which helps explain why Cleveland accepted a package with one first-round pick instead of multiple firsts. (nbcsports.com) ### What comes next for the Browns after the trade? June 1 was the date both teams announced the deal, and that timing mattered because post-June 1 accounting rules made a Garrett trade more workable, according to coverage of the move. Cleveland now adds Verse to its edge group while carrying future draft capital into the 2027, 2028 and 2029 drafts. (nbcsports.com) Andrew Berry has not publicly framed the move in the terms used by critics on X, but the next phase of the story will be whether Verse’s production and those future picks justify the package. For now, the concrete next markers are already set: Verse joins the Browns immediately, and the first draft asset from the deal arrives in the 2027 first round. (clevelandbrowns.com) (usatoday.com)