LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams and general manager Les Snead have built their reputation over more than ten years by executing bold, high-stakes transactions that NFL supporters everywhere hope their organizations would pursue.
Their newest acquisition ranks among their most significant and dangerous — perfectly fitting their established approach.
On Tuesday, Myles Garrett arrived at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training facility following LA’s decision to surrender emerging talent Jared Verse plus three valuable draft selections to finalize one of the league’s most substantial trades in recent memory.
“To acquire a player like this, these things don’t come up often,” coach Sean McVay said.
However, this daring transaction for what many consider the premier pass rusher of his era represents just another chapter in Snead’s history of franchise-altering deals. Over the previous decade, he has orchestrated moves to obtain Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller, Trent McDuffie, Brandin Cooks and additional established players at costs many organizations would consider prohibitive.
The franchise has dedicated ten years pursuing championships with a sense of immediacy that appears focused on immediate success, but actually stems from institutional belief that McVay’s leadership capabilities will compensate for the necessary sacrifices in future draft assets and veteran personnel.
“You’re always threading that needle for sustainability, trying to win consistently,” Snead said Tuesday. “But it’s a hard one to thread.”
McVay fully embraces the organization’s aggressive timeline, as the head coach frequently serves as the most insistent voice encouraging Snead to complete major transactions: “I’m not the most patient person,” McVay said with a smirk.
“To be able to add players like (Garrett) is so rare,” McVay added. “We feel really fortunate that this feels very similar to when we were fortunate enough to acquire a player like Matthew Stafford. Things like this don’t present themselves, and we wanted to be aggressive.”
While such chances may be uncommon, the Rams have capitalized on significantly more opportunities than competing franchises — and they were already considered a leading Super Bowl candidate before securing Garrett.
Three months earlier, Snead addressed Los Angeles’ main vulnerability by obtaining McDuffie, making him the league’s most expensive cornerback while reuniting him with free-agent addition Jaylen Watson, his former Chiefs teammate.
Despite possessing a defensive front featuring four quality players all remaining under rookie deals, Snead and McVay sought further enhancement.
The general manager initiated discussions with Browns counterpart Andrew Berry following Cleveland’s contract adjustment for Garrett that indicated a potential transaction involving the All-Pro who had recently established the NFL’s single-season sacks record.
“Andrew and I have a good relationship, (and) we like talking football a good bit,” Snead said. “So I would pester him a little bit, probably jokingly at first. Kept doing that, and then we began talking a little more seriously.”
Snead initially attempted to structure the agreement using only draft selections from current and future years. Berry insisted on including Verse, the promising young defender and Snead’s sole first-round selection between quarterbacks Goff (2016) and Ty Simpson (2026).
While both Snead and McVay express reluctance about trading Verse, the Rams ultimately consented with support from owner Stan Kroenke, who has consistently endorsed his management team’s distinctive urgency.
Garrett welcomed the chance to join this organization’s tradition of elite pass rushers extending from the Fearsome Foursome through Aaron Donald. Additionally, after nine seasons in Cleveland, he sought the opportunity to compete for a perennial championship contender.
The Rams have maintained that status throughout McVay’s tenure beginning in 2017 — accumulating eight winning campaigns, seven playoff appearances, four NFC West championships, three conference title game visits, two Super Bowl trips and one championship.
“It just came down to the timing of everything,” Garrett said. “What does it look like to be a winner now, and to have the opportunity to do that immediately? That was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
The organization’s assertiveness extends beyond trades: Snead and McVay have demonstrated willingness to release quality performers and team legends when deemed necessary for financial or competitive reasons.
They have parted ways with Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and star running back Todd Gurley, while trading Goff and receiver Robert Woods before their Rams contract extensions had begun.
Such decisions often appear ruthless to supporters, with players like Goff and Kupp publicly expressing disappointment regarding how Snead and McVay handled their departures. Eventually, however, most seem to accept this as the organization’s standard operating procedure.
This includes Woods, a reliable five-year contributor and clubhouse leader during McVay’s early seasons after joining as a free agent in 2017.
The Southern California native injured his knee during practice in the middle of the 2021 campaign, sidelining him for the Rams’ Super Bowl championship journey — and Snead dealt him to Tennessee one month after the celebration.
Woods spent four additional seasons with various NFL teams before retiring this year — and promptly rejoined the Rams in a coaching capacity.
