“I really hope Vargas is OK -- I sent something over to him” - Max Muncy, on Ildemaro Vargas, who he ran over, but is OK, and maybe got a gift card out of their collision at first base.
🎙️ Leading Off
Where should we start? Myles Garrett? Good call.
The Garrett deal is a Baseball trade. It’s a present for future value swap. The Browns send the two-time and defending Defensive Player of the Year to LA in exchange for Young Buck Jared Verse and prospects (i.e. draft compensation). No different than any package Tarik Skubal could command at the deadline. Very similar to normal MLB blockbusters (Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Mason Miller). Why is this trade awesome for the Rams? Garrett’s contract is spectacular. Despite his prolific career, Garrett’s cap hits over the next three seasons are $8m, $16m, and $21m. For context, 33(!) other edge defenders count more against the salary cap next season than Garrett.
Before last season, Garrett tried to pull the ripcord in Cleveland. He requested a trade, but ultimately wound up signing an extension. If I’m honest, I felt a little angry at Myles. I thought he wanted out, and signing a new deal two months later wasn’t exactly Standing on Business. I found it very incongruent for an Apex Defender to waste his career in Cleveland when free agency could have been a valid escape. You get that right? I hurt because I care. All that’s behind us now because Garrett and the Rams will be featured on no less than 7 nationally televised games and are the early favorite for Super Bowl champs. Garrett’s deal (and a restructure earlier this offseason) are precisely what facilitated moving on from the Browns.
Did the Browns get enough? Wrong question. Everything the Browns do should be framed this way: are they closer to a QB and coach? Eh. Hardly. Perhaps the added draft capital helps CLE move up in the 2027 draft for their guy. Altogether, I’m unimpressed. Does Jared Verse excite Arch Manning about being a Brown? He does not. Does a 2029 Rams third round pick turn into a functioning guard that helps a rookie QB immediately? No. We shouldn’t judge trades in a vacuum, but this trade of Mr. Garrett doesn’t make it obvious that Cleveland will draft a first round QB in 2027, surround him with a stable O-line, safety net TE, field stretching receivers and ultimately go 7-10 en route to a franchise turnaround. That’d be great! It’s a big, big leap of faith to look at this compensation package and wind up at 7-10 in 2027.
I’m rootin for everyone in this trade. I like this Verse cat even if he isn’t in the stratosphere that Garrett occupies. I’m rootin for Browns fans. They just watched a homegrown superstar look very excited about moving to LA, and hopefully Verse fills his gigantic shoes. All we need to avoid is Verse becoming a DPOY, the Browns continuing to stink (likely), and Cleveland shipping Jared back to LA in 2030.
📻 Over The Air
📡 JumboTron: Friday’s Must Watch
All times PST
The Memorial, 11:00am Golf Channel
Knicks vs Spurs, 5:00pm ABC
Please skip the Apple TV Friday Night Baseball game (Twins vs Royals @ 5:15)
☎️ The Phone Line
Best thing on the timeline today:
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Walkup Song
Walkup Song
George Strait
For Knicks vs Spurs:
Spotify