Myles Garrett Traded to Rams After Record 23-Sack Season in 2026 Offseason

Myles Garrett leads the 2026 NFL offseason moves after setting a single-season record with 23 sacks and winning Defensive Player of the Year.

Myles Garrett joined the Los Angeles Rams via trade following a 2025 campaign where he earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and established a new single-season record with 23 sacks. The edge rusher headlines a list of 2026 NFL offseason moves affecting 27 different teams. Under defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Garrett is expected to serve as the primary closer for a unit that also added cornerback Trent McDuffie and free agent Jaylen Watson. McDuffie, who possesses slot versatility but is projected to play the perimeter field side, arrives in Los Angeles after a season where Rams cornerbacks provided subpar play. Watson, another former Kansas City defender, brings a career total of three interceptions and 23 pass breakups to the Rams' secondary.

Blockbuster Trades and Receiving Upgrades

The New England Patriots acquired wide receiver A.J. Brown to provide quarterback Drake Maye with a primary target. Brown surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving threshold in all four of his seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and now joins free agent signing Romeo Doubs in the Patriots' revamped receiving room. In Denver, the Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle, who averaged 14.2 yards per catch last year and recorded 14 receptions of at least 20 yards. Waddle has achieved three 1,000-yard seasons during his five-year tenure in Miami and will now pair with Courtland Sutton for quarterback Bo Nix.

Buffalo addressed a lack of offensive playmakers by trading for DJ Moore. The wide receiver caught at least 90 passes in two of his three seasons with Chicago and maintained a streak of at least six touchdown receptions per year. The Houston Texans also utilized the trade market to acquire running back David Montgomery from Detroit. Montgomery, who scored 33 touchdowns over three seasons with the Lions, joins a Texans offense that averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2025. Houston further bolstered their front by signing veteran Braden Smith, a 312-pound tackle who started 13 games for the Colts last year.

Defensive Line and Edge Rusher Signings

The Cincinnati Bengals added defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II to a line that already features Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe. Lawrence occupies multiple blockers in pass protection despite recording a career-low 28 tackles on designed rushes in 2025. In Baltimore, the Ravens signed Trey Hendrickson to a contract after a failed physical returned Maxx Crosby to Las Vegas. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and 65 pressures during the 2024 season, though injuries limited him to seven games last year. New Ravens coach Jesse Minter plans to utilize Hendrickson in multiple fronts and stunts.

Jaelan Phillips signed with the Carolina Panthers to assist a pass rush that produced only 30 sacks in 2025. Phillips, who holds a 12% pressure rate over the last four seasons, played 17 games last year for the Dolphins and Eagles. The Washington Commanders signed Odafe Oweh, who recorded 7.5 sacks for the Chargers following an October trade from Baltimore. Oweh also tallied three sacks during a wild-card round loss to the Patriots. The New York Jets drafted David Bailey, the 2025 FBS leader with 14.5 sacks, to improve a defense that ranked second-to-last in the league with 26 total sacks.

Quarterback Transitions and Rookie Impact

Kyler Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings to lead Kevin O’Connell’s play-action offense. Murray is one of five players in league history to reach 20,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards within seven seasons. In Miami, Malik Willis signed as a free agent after completing 85.7% of his passes and scoring four touchdowns in four appearances for Green Bay last year. The Dallas Cowboys drafted safety Caleb Downs, who recorded 22 run stops in college, to play a slot role under coordinator Christian Parker.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker III, who produced 33 rushes of 10 or more yards in 2025. Kansas City also drafted cornerback Mansoor Delane from LSU to replace departing starters in a defense that utilized man coverage at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. The Las Vegas Raiders signed center Tyler Linderbaum, who posted a 97.2% pass block win rate last season, and linebacker Quay Walker, who averaged 4.9 tackles on designed rushes per game.