Fortunately, Garrett’s sense of urgency matches that of Snead and coach Sean McVay. After falling painfully short of the Super Bowl last season thanks to a four-point NFC Championship Game loss to the Seattle Seahawks, they’re more motivated than ever to ensure they get there in 2026. That’s what the trade for Garrett signals, a message Garrett happily received when he agreed to waive his no-trade clause — a mild concern of Snead’s — and join the Rams.
“Since the very beginning, it’s always been about winning. It just breaks down to the timing of everything,” Garrett said. “What does it realistically look like to be a winner now? And to have an opportunity to do that immediately, that was an opportunity that was too difficult to pass up. I always have love in my heart for Cleveland, the city and the community, all the players and everything else. But the opportunity to come here and have an immediate and profound impact on this team, it was something I just had to move forward with.”
After spending the last two seasons in Cleveland on rosters that combined for just eight victories, Garrett is joining a roster that is ready to win now. Snead and McVay attacked their greatest weakness — their secondary — by trading for Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and handing him an extension. They also signed McDuffie’s former and current teammate, Jaylen Watson, reinforcing the back end before reeling in the biggest fish of all in Garrett.
Blending that unit with an explosive offense that scores early and often means Garrett will likely find himself with more opportunities to hunt the quarterback than he had in Cleveland in the last two years. Fresh off a record-setting 23-sack season, Garrett knows he might have an even greater opportunity to make history amid the Rams’ title chase in 2026.
“I mean that did play into the decision as well,” Garrett said. “Knowing I have the ability, you know, late game to pin my ears back, not just because we need a play to be made but because we have the lead and it’s an obvious passing down. Being able to make those game-changing plays to win the game for us. Those are things that appeal to me, I’m sure appeal to all of us as D-linemen. That’s something I really look forward to.”
Now, it’s about acting on those intentions, with Garrett dressed in his new colors: Rams royal and sol.
“On paper, I’m sure things look great. But we’ve got to go out there and put the work in,” Garrett said. “It starts on the field, it starts in the classroom. We’re not going to take a single day for granted, we’re not going to be looking at any odds or favorites.
“We’re going win each game day by day.”
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