CBS Sports Identifies Top NFL Offseason Trades for 2026, Including Myles Garrett and A.J. Brown

The NFL once again proved itself a 24/7/365 enterprise Monday when the Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Rams and, a few hours later, the Eagles shipped A.J. Brown to the Patriots . In total, three multi-time Pro Bowlers -- Jared Verse went to Cleveland in the Garrett trade -- and five draft picks spanning three years got moved.

There will be more trades before the offseason is through, but it's hard to imagine any coming close to what we've seen so far. This offseason alone, in addition to the Garrett and Brown blockbusters ...

- The Giants traded Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals . - The Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos . - The Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie to the Rams. - The Bears traded D.J. Moore to the Bills . - The Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Vikings. - The Cowboys traded Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers

And those are just the trades that fetched at least a Day 1 or Day 2 pick in return, so it doesn't come close to covering all the notable moves, but you get the point. It's been busy. Remember, the Ravens were one failed medical away from acquiring Maxx Crosby , too.

So, given all the action -- and given the break in the action that comes in mid-June and early July -- we asked our staff "What's your favorite trade of this offseason?"

We purposely left "favorite" open-ended. It could be a favorite for one team, both teams or pure entertainment value, etc. Here are the responses:

Myles Garrett to the Rams

Jared Dubin:  "L.A. is as all-in as any team has ever been, and that is tremendously fun. Putting Garrett on that defensive line, along with the secondary improvements, will only make this team that much scarier. If they can just stay healthy, they're the favorites to win the whole thing."

Garrett Podell: "My favorite trade of the offseason was the Los Angeles Rams' trade for 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year edge rusher Myles Garrett. It's enjoyable to see teams understand they're on the precipice of Super Bowl glory, as the Rams were in 2025 as the NFC runner-up, and then make a move that could put them over the top. Garrett, who set the NFL's single-season sack record with 23.0 in 17 games last season, does just that. Los Angeles desperately needed a pass rush closer: the Rams' 11.0 sacks on third down in 2025 ranked tied for the third-fewest in the NFL. Garrett is the solution to that problem since his 11.0 sacks on third down led the league in that metric a season ago. The Rams are once again all in, and that means more excitement throughout the rest of the league in 2026."

Zach Pereles: "The reigning MVP ( Matthew Stafford ) and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (Garrett) playing together has never happened ... until now. In many losses last year, Los Angeles simply couldn't get the stops it needed. Garrett is a closer, just like previous Super Bowl champs -- think Aaron Donald , Chris Jones , seemingly every Seahawk or Eagle -- had in crucial moments. If you need one play, he's your guy. On the flip side, I gave the Browns a 'B-' in my trade grades , but after thinking on it more, I'd probably bump it up to a 'B' or 'B+.' Verse is a really good player who will be cheap for three more years.

"If I had to pick a more under-the-radar move, how about David Montgomery to the Texans ? He, plus an improved offensive line, should stabilize what's been a dreadful rushing attack in Houston."

In trading for Myles Garrett, the Rams just acquired the NFL's biggest defensive cheat code JP Acosta

Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals

Carter Bahns: "Was there a more mutually beneficial trade this offseason than the Giants and Bengals swapping Dexter Lawrence and a first-round pick? I think not. This is a move that helps Cincinnati maximize the Joe Burrow-Ja'Marr Chase era and that allows New York to build its young core around Jaxson Dart .

"The Bengals' defense was the worst in the league last year at stopping runs at or behind the line of scrimmage. Bringing Lawrence in to elevate what was a putrid defensive line is a terrific move in its own right, but for it to come on the heels of desperately needed additions in the secondary makes it a home run.

"The Giants, meanwhile, should be thrilled to get a top-10 pick in return for a star that wanted out. Turning that situation into perhaps the best offensive lineman in the rookie class in Francis Mauigoa is a major win. They boosted an offensive line that needed help and did so by acquiring a player on the same timeline as Dart and Cam Skattebo ."

John Breech: "There were plenty of blockbuster trades made this offseason, but this one was my favorite for a multitude of reasons. For one, there's a good chance that it might go down as the most impactful deal. The Bengals had a bad defense last season and adding Lawerence might be the move that puts them over the top. Most teams aren't actually "one player away" from winning the Super Bowl, but you could argue that the Bengals are, and Lawrence might just be that player. Also, this trade might have been one of the three most shocking deals of the offseason, and that's because it involved a Bengals' front office that almost never looks to get involved in trades of this magnitude. Basically, this felt like a philosophical change in the organization for a team that appears to be all in on 2026."

Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos

Josh Edwards: "The Myles Garrett trade will be the most impactful this season, but the Waddle trade stands out for a few reasons. Denver had not made any additions to the roster through free agency and had grown confident in the roster that appeared in the AFC Championship game last season. The offensive element they had been lacking, however, was speed. Sean Payton has a clear identity of how he wants the offense to appear. Waddle has speed in spades and should allow Denver to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically.

"Although it may have been a questionable long-term roster-building strategy by Miami, the compensation was fair."

JP Acosta: "Denver is in a spot where they need guys who can tilt the scales in their favor on offense. While they're incredibly well coached, they need true difference makers to get over the top in the AFC. Waddle is a difference-maker in the one way the Broncos needed: creating explosive plays. Denver finished 24th in Explosive Play Rate last season, making it way too hard for them on offense despite a talented offensive line and play-caller. Since 2022, Waddle has had a 24.8% Explosive Reception Rate, and an absurd 71.7% of his receptions have gone for first downs or touchdowns in that time period. Yes, giving up a first, third and fourth round draft pick is expensive, but Waddle's explosive capabilities are exactly what the Broncos needed on the outside."

A.J. Brown to the Patriots

Tyler Sullivan:  "The NFL's worst-kept secret finally happened, and Brown has touched down in New England. Even at this later stage of his career, Brown is a game-tilter and the biggest alpha wide receiver the Patriots have had since Randy Moss. If  Drake Maye  continues to emerge as an MVP-caliber quarterback after finishing second in 2025, he may have just been given nitrous in the form of a true No. 1 weapon."

Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers

Jordan Dajani: "It went under the radar, but the Steelers have a new starter out wide -- and they didn't have to give up much for him either. Pittsburgh sent a sixth-round pick to the Colts for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., plus a seventh-round pick. Adding a new target for Aaron Rodgers was necessary, as DK Metcalf accounted for almost half of the wide receiving corps' yards last season (850 to 866). Pittman caught a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025 and has two 1,000-yard campaigns to his name.

"Additionally, that seventh-round pick from the Colts turned into Navy running back Eli Heidenreich at No. 230 overall. CBS Sports ranked him as a borderline top 100 prospect in this past class, since he was a record-breaking offensive playmaker with intriguing versatility."

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/myles-garrett-rams-a-j-brown-patriots-cbs-sports-picks-favorite-nfl-trades/)._