Cleveland Browns front office reportedly considered trading Myles Garrett for controversial $49 million All-Pro in bold deal attempt

The Cleveland Browns walked away from the Myles Garrett trade with a respectable haul, but it wasn't the package they originally wanted. Cleveland's discussions stretched beyond Los Angeles, reaching the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Browns had a specific target in mind when it came to Philly: defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

Philadelphia wasn't willing to part with Carter. The Eagles instead offered outside linebackers Nolan Smith or Jalyx Hunt. Cleveland passed. Ultimately, the Browns accepted defensive end Jared Verse, a first-round pick, a second-rounder and a third-round selection from the Los Angeles Rams.

Why did the Browns want Jalen Carter over Jared Verse?

Carter is a different kind of player than Verse, which is precisely why Cleveland wanted him. He plays the interior defensive line, a position the Browns weren't replacing with this trade. Verse is an edge rusher, the direct positional successor to Garrett.

Both are 25. Both were first-round picks on legitimate NFC contenders. Both are two-time Pro Bowlers. But Carter carries a second-team All-Pro nod that Verse doesn't yet have. In Philadelphia, Carter is heading into the final year of his $21.8 million rookie deal at $7 million, with his fifth-year option for 2027 already exercised at $27.1 million. Verse has two years remaining on a $15.1 million rookie deal, and Cleveland will decide on his fifth-year option after this season ends. That number will almost certainly get picked up.

Verse ranked 11th among edge defenders last season, per Pro Football Focus, out of 115 qualifying players. Garrett, by comparison, ranked first, putting up a record 23 sacks and leading the league with 33 tackles for loss. Those are different conversations entirely, but at 25, Verse has room to grow into something close to it.

What are the concerns surrounding Jalen Carter?

Carter's talent has never been the debate. His availability and judgment have been.

In January 2023, police charged Carter with street racing and reckless driving following a two-vehicle incident that killed Georgia staffer Chandler LeCroy and player Devin Willock, who were in a separate vehicle racing alongside him. Carter pleaded no contest, received one year of probation, 80 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.

That wasn't the end of it. The NFL suspended Carter one game and fined him more than $57,000 after he spit in the face of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before their 2025 season opener. Carter also missed six games last season, including multiple late-season contests due to shoulder surgeries on both sides.

Given that history, it's not hard to see why Philadelphia declined to include him in a trade offer. Equally, it's not hard to see why Cleveland was interested — Carter is genuinely elite when healthy. But for a Browns team that needs reliability and a smooth transition after Garrett's departure, Verse may ultimately be the safer, more sensible fit.