It turns out the Myles Garrett trade was a backup plan for the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams turned the football world on its ear with the trade for Myles Garrett. But he reportedly wasn’t their first choice.
The 2026 season got off to a rough start for the Los Angeles Rams.
Hopefully their season unfolds much like their offseason. Because as a new report has outlined, the Los Angeles Rams’ first effort to secure a game-changing pass rusher fell short. It was then that the team consummated their blockbuster deal for Myles Garrett with the Cleveland Browns. The Rams were reportedly the hardest team to push for a Maxx Crosby trade after the Baltimore Ravens’ trade for Crosby was cancelled at the last minute. It’s a fascinating “what if”?
Maxx Crosby reportedly told the Los Angeles Rams he wasn’t interested in a trade this offseason
“Other teams were interested (in Maxx Crosby), but the Rams, with their propensity to swing big, were the strongest club pushing for a deal, according to sources.
But before there could be anything official, Crosby let it be known to anyone interested that he did not want to be traded. He wanted to remain with the Raiders, and he let his own organization know as well.
Crosby famously responded to the failed trade with: “I’m a Raider. I’m back. Run that (expletive).” The five-time Pro Bowler delivered a similar message to the Rams and other teams who wanted him.”
Ian Rapoport
NFL Network
The report comes from ESPN/NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He went on to detail that once it was apparent that a Crosby trade wasn’t happening, the Rams then went on to pivot their attention to Myles Garrett.
There’s a non-zero chance the Crosby interest was a byproduct of his stock being hurt by the medical news that went public amid the Ravens saga. Remember, that deal was done for two first-round draft choices before the Ravens rug-pulled the deal at the eleventh hour. Their reasoning was tied to Crosby’s physical. So if you could hypothetically get Crosby at discount versus paying premium for Garrett? I would completely understand why the former would be the first choice.
Either way, the dust has settled. The Rams got their big fish — an even bigger one than they first set their eyes on. It cost them a premium price, but they got the job done either way. Now, it’s just a matter of the Rams getting all their new pieces aligned and playing to their potential. They certainly didn’t in their season-opener against San Francisco.
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