The NFC West was already tough enough entering 2026, but it just got a whole lot tougher in light of the Los Angeles Rams pulling off arguably the biggest blockbuster trade from the offseason: landing Cleveland Browns perennial All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett in exchange for edge rusher Jared Verse and draft compensation.
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 1, 2026
Bombshell: The Browns are finalizing a trade that will send two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, per @rapsheet, @TomPelissero and me.
In exchange for Garrett, the Rams are expected to send Pro-Bowl edge Jared Verse, a 2027… pic.twitter.com/vHVquJBcYl
Wow.
Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who's coming off an unprecedented 23-sack campaign in 2025, joins an already-elite L.A. defense under coordinator Chris Shula that already added a stud cornerback in another offseason blockbuster, Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Putting it lightly, the San Francisco 49ers can't be too thrilled about the developments taking place in Southern California.
And they need to respond. Urgently.
Fortunately, the Niners don't exactly have to match the Garrett trade. They just need to do something to ensure they're not falling too far behind in the NFC West pecking order.
Thankfully, there's one logical move out there that can take place right now.
Myles Garrett trade should coerce 49ers to sign Joey Bosa right now
A year removed from finishing dead last in sacks with 20, San Francisco is banking on healthy returns from both of its starting defensive ends, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, who are working their respective ways back from ACL tears. Plus, the April addition of Romello Height in the NFL Draft should beef up the depth.
There remains a lot to be desired, though.
Joey Bosa, the free-agent pass-rusher who'd be an ideal partner with his younger brother, remains on the market and has already been called into the 49ers' sights at various points this offseason. While concrete evidence about a match between player and team hasn't surfaced yet, the Garrett development should prompt general manager John Lynch to expedite a deal.
Bosa, who'll turn 31 years old this offseason, is no longer the premier pass-rusher he was earlier in his career, and he also comes with substantial injury concerns.
That said, the elder Bosa is an excellent contingency plan for a Niners pass rush that already has plenty of questions facing it entering 2026.
And if those questions weren't big enough already, Los Angeles' blockbuster for Garrett just put them into a glaring spotlight.
San Francisco needs to respond. Now.
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