2026 NFL Discussion.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Garrett is better than Parsons but also 3 years older which is not trivial. Both are gamechangers, but he really elevates LAR to be the preseason overwhelming SB favorite. Parsons would do the same, but they are different kinds of deals. 

A player of Parsons ability NEVER becomes available at the age he was.

[CheezWizHed]

I tend to think the Packers got the better deal overall.  LAR gave up an ascending player in verse that was probably worth more than a single 1st round pick. Clark was probably more like a 4th round pick value at best. 

So you are talking 2 firsts and a 4th(Clark) vs 2 firsts (Verse), a second, and a third.  Or if you want to discount one round for every year the draft pick is out:

• 1 first, 1 second (discounted), one 4th (Clark)
• 2 Firsts (Verse), one third (discounted), one 5th (discounted 2 years)

Garrett is a better player today, but not by too much.  And how soon will he drop off? 

Can't fault the Rams for being aggressive and trying to win on possibly Stafford's last year. 

[JosephC]

If Garrett doesn't start crying about a new contract in a month, which he probably will, then IMO this is nearly a bargain trade for the Rams..and I really like Verse.  Overthecap has Garrett counting 9.16 million against the Ram's cap in 2026, 16.05 million in 2027 and 21.4 million in 2028.  2029 has a 22 million dollar option, so the contract was set up where 2029 would be the new contract year if Garrett is still playing at a high level.  But to have him that cheap for three years is a very, very positive aspect of the trade for the Rams.

Too bad for them he will likely start crying that the 150 million he's already made just isn't enough, and they will lose one of the best aspects of this trade when they hand him a big, fat new contract.

[OldHeidelberg]

56 minutes ago, JosephC said:

If Garrett doesn't start crying about a new contract in a month, which he probably will, then IMO this is nearly a bargain trade for the Rams..and I really like Verse.  Overthecap has Garrett counting 9.16 million against the Ram's cap in 2026, 16.05 million in 2027 and 21.4 million in 2028.  2029 has a 22 million dollar option, so the contract was set up where 2029 would be the new contract year if Garrett is still playing at a high level.  But to have him that cheap for three years is a very, very positive aspect of the trade for the Rams.

Too bad for them he will likely start crying that the 150 million he's already made just isn't enough, and they will lose one of the best aspects of this trade when they hand him a big, fat new contract.

I think Garrett just signed his new extension last offseason, if so he can cry all he wants, no NFL team is going to give him another extension that soon. I am not familiar enough with Verse's upside to say for sure but looking at those salary numbers I agree, the Rams did well and only gave up the one first which they hope will be #32.

Teams suddenly aren't clinging to their draft picks like they did 5 years ago. I was stunned by Philly giving up the two 3rd's for the aging VIkes edge. For whatever reason there is an all in mentality among the contenders right now, maybe a new CBA on the horizon has something to do with it.    

[CheezWizHed]

21 hours ago, OldHeidelberg said:

I think Garrett just signed his new extension last offseason, if so he can cry all he wants, no NFL team is going to give him another extension that soon. I am not familiar enough with Verse's upside to say for sure but looking at those salary numbers I agree, the Rams did well and only gave up the one first which they hope will be #32.

Verse was the D-ROY and 2x ProBowler (which may or may not mean much) and he is one a rookie contract for 3 more years.  I think it is easy to say a trade for him alone would be worth a 1st round draft pick. 

[LouisEly]

Nick Herbig, former Badger, got $100M from the Steelers with $42M guaranteed.  He had 7.5 sacks last year and 5.5 the year before, but isn't a full-time starter (credited with 11 total starts over the last two seasons).

 

[OldHeidelberg]

3 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Verse was the D-ROY and 2x ProBowler (which may or may not mean much) and he is one a rookie contract for 3 more years.  I think it is easy to say a trade for him alone would be worth a 1st round draft pick. 

I just glanced at his sack totals before I posted and they seemed Gary-ish. I don't doubt he is worth a first rounder but the Rams aren't saddled with the massive contract we are with Parsons either, the Browns pick up some of his tab.  

[GAME05]

I still like it from the Browns perspective, particularly with the possibility they get in a bidding war with the Jets to get the #1 next year.

[CheezWizHed]

2 hours ago, OldHeidelberg said:

I just glanced at his sack totals before I posted and they seemed Gary-ish. I don't doubt he is worth a first rounder but the Rams aren't saddled with the massive contract we are with Parsons either, the Browns pick up some of his tab.  

That was my first impression too when I looked at his stats.  But there has to be something more to it for him to get defensive ROY and a 2x ProBowler.  

If we drafted someone and I guaranteed he'd win DROY and Pro Bowl twice in his first two seasons, you'd agree that it was a win for a first round pick. That is how I valued him at a 1st rounder. 

[nate82]

PFF stats for Verse 

Far better than Gary.  While the sack numbers are not there yet his total pressures, hits and hurries suggest he should have had more sacks.  He is also not just a pass rusher but more of a complete player.  You can play him on running downs and not be worried about him being a liability out there.  

[BrewerFan]

On 6/2/2026 at 1:07 PM, OldHeidelberg said:

I think Garrett just signed his new extension last offseason, if so he can cry all he wants, no NFL team is going to give him another extension that soon. I am not familiar enough with Verse's upside to say for sure but looking at those salary numbers I agree, the Rams did well and only gave up the one first which they hope will be #32.

Teams suddenly aren't clinging to their draft picks like they did 5 years ago. I was stunned by Philly giving up the two 3rd's for the aging VIkes edge. For whatever reason there is an all in mentality among the contenders right now, maybe a new CBA on the horizon has something to do with it.    

Verse had 188 pressures his first two years and 45 QB hits. It was a few years ago, but generally for every 2 QB hits, you got 1 sack(more like 2.2). I doesn't know if that number's changed, but Verse is a stud.

I also think the Eagles got a good deal on Greenard. 

But you look at 5 years ago, I don't think it was that different. That was right when the Rams were doing the same thing they're doing now... but now instead of giving up 2 1sts for a guy like Ramsey, they got Myles Garrett, the closest approximation of a Eagles Reggie White I've seen(Watt was pretty close as well, but Garrett and White had better speed). 

 

[BrewerFan]

20 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

That was my first impression too when I looked at his stats.  But there has to be something more to it for him to get defensive ROY and a 2x ProBowler.  

If we drafted someone and I guaranteed he'd win DROY and Pro Bowl twice in his first two seasons, you'd agree that it was a win for a first round pick. That is how I valued him at a 1st rounder. 

I think you were conservative if anything. You're not just getting a young star edge who's on the verge of being a superstar, you're paying him... pretty much the league minimum for the next 2 years.

The Packers underpaid for Parsons and I think the Rams got a fair deal. They gave up a lot. I don't think they needed to give up Verse when they had Young and Fiske on that DL which is why they were trying so hard to not trade him.

Quote

@LouisElyNick Herbig, former Badger, got $100M from the Steelers with $42M guaranteed.  He had 7.5 sacks last year and 5.5 the year before, but isn't a full-time starter (credited with 11 total starts over the last two seasons).

And Verse will cost the Browns 4M the next two years. 

For what it's worth, here's an article trying to approximate Verse's value. A 1st+2nd according to Barnwell. 
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/trying-define-jared-verse-trade-195236900.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

He goes to a team with a pretty good front along with him, so he'll likely continue to get opportunities. 

 

I think this is a trade that's just really good for both teams. I think the Browns did better to get good equal value than the Cowboys did. 

[OldHeidelberg]

1 hour ago, BrewerFan said:

Verse had 188 pressures his first two years and 45 QB hits. It was a few years ago, but generally for every 2 QB hits, you got 1 sack(more like 2.2). I doesn't know if that number's changed, but Verse is a stud.

I also think the Eagles got a good deal on Greenard. 

But you look at 5 years ago, I don't think it was that different. That was right when the Rams were doing the same thing they're doing now... but now instead of giving up 2 1sts for a guy like Ramsey, they got Myles Garrett, the closest approximation of a Eagles Reggie White I've seen(Watt was pretty close as well, but Garrett and White had better speed). 

 

I remember seeing an article after we traded for Parsons comparing it to recent trades, there were maybe 2 or 3 since 2020. In the last year we have seen Parsons, Garrett, Sauce, Brown and probably forgetting someone. Just thought more big names moving around all of the sudden but that may just be me not paying attention to other teams/players like I do the Packers.

[BrewerFan]

1 hour ago, OldHeidelberg said:

I remember seeing an article after we traded for Parsons comparing it to recent trades, there were maybe 2 or 3 since 2020. In the last year we have seen Parsons, Garrett, Sauce, Brown and probably forgetting someone. Just thought more big names moving around all of the sudden but that may just be me not paying attention to other teams/players like I do the Packers.

I could also be putting more weight on what the Rams have done. They went 7 years without a 1st rd pick, traded for Cooks, multiple 1sts for Ramsey, Stafford and then a 2nd+3rd for Von Miller. 

But then you have Jamal Adams, Tunsil, Tyreke Hill went for multiple 1sts, Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeForest Buckner. Davante Adams was traded for a 1st. 

Russel Wilson... though a lot of those are older than 5 years. 

Guys like Parsons or even Myles Garrett getting traded are probably a bit more rare. 

If you're talking about multiple 1sts, then it's probably just been a handful of defensive players.