The NFL’s long-anticipated June 1st salary cap threshold delivered two franchise-altering blockbuster trades, but the decision by the Cleveland Browns to part with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett overshadowed the widely-expected move which sent wide receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia to New England.

After months of speculation following Garrett’s trade request and subsequent record deal to remain with the Browns, Cleveland finally agreed to send the seven-time Pro Bowler to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, the Browns will receive former first round pick Jared Verse, a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-round selection and a 2029 third-rounder.

The move brings an end to Garrett’s nine-year tenure in Cleveland, where the former #1 overall pick became the franchise’s all-time sack leader and twice claimed NFL Defensive Player of the Year honours. Garrett has repeatedly alternated his desire to compete for championships after multiple disappointing Browns season with claims that he wants to play nowhere else, but Cleveland has now relenting to the former despite previously insisting their star was not available.

Reports indicated Garrett waived the no-trade protection contained within his record-setting contract extension to facilitate the move. His agent, Nicole Lynn, reacted quickly on social media with a nod to Rams general manager Les Snead, underlining the sense that one of the league’s most aggressive front offices had once again landed a marquee name.

For the Rams, the acquisition represents an unmistakable all-in push around quarterback Matthew Stafford and a roster that already entered the summer among Super Bowl contenders. Garrett’s arrival gives Los Angeles arguably the most feared defensive centrepiece in football after he set a new NFL single-season sack record with 23 during the 2025 campaign and, even without Verse, the Rams remain potent on that side of the ball, having strengthened their secondary by trading for Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie at the start of the new league year.

The Browns, meanwhile, gain a cornerstone defender in Verse and additional draft capital as they attempt to reshape a roster still dealing with the long-term ramifications of several aggressive, but misguided, roster-building decisions in recent years.

If Garrett’s move represented the biggest trade of the offseason so far, Brown’s departure from Philadelphia had been telegraphed for weeks, with just the June 1st date holding up what many long expected to be a transaction between the Eagles and Patriots.

The Eagles will receive a 2028 first-round selection and additional 2027 draft compensation, having waited until the start of June because of the substantial cap implications attached to Brown’s contract. However, amid reports of unrest, the franchise also loses one of the most productive receivers in its history, with Brown having earned multiple All-Pro honours and helped deliver a Super Bowl title.

For the Patriots, the move finally provides quarterback Drake Maye with the elite WR1 target many observers believed the organisation lacked. Brown’s combination of size, physicality and explosive playmaking instantly transforms the ceiling of New England’s offense and represents one of the boldest statements of intent made by the franchise since entering its post-Tom Brady era.