2026 NFL offseason trades put Garrett, Brown and Lawrence on new teams
ESPN’s offseason recap says Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown and Dexter Lawrence II moved as NFL training camps open.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
The 2026 NFL offseason trades board got crowded before training camp, with ESPN reporting that Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown, Dexter Lawrence II, Jaylen Waddle and D.J. Moore all changed teams in deals that could shape the season.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder and Brooke Pryor framed the roster shake-up as part of a busy stretch since Super Bowl LX, when the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots and Bad Bunny performed at halftime in Santa Clara, California.
Now, with NFL training camps opening, the biggest names are no longer where many fans last saw them. The headline move, according to ESPN, was Garrett leaving the Cleveland Browns for the Los Angeles Rams in June.
What were the biggest 2026 NFL offseason trades?
Garrett’s move to Los Angeles was the centerpiece. ESPN reported that the Browns sent the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Rams one year after he signed a four-year contract to stay in Cleveland.
The deal also brought edge rusher Jared Verse to Cleveland and included multiple high draft picks, according to ESPN. That gives the Rams a premier pass rusher while the Browns get both a young defensive piece and draft capital.
The receiver market also moved. ESPN reported that A.J. Brown, long linked to trade chatter, was dealt by the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots.
That trade gives New England a major offensive name after its Super Bowl loss to Seattle. ESPN did not include the full terms of the Brown deal in the available recap.
On the defensive line, the New York Giants moved Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN reported. Lawrence was described by ESPN as one of the NFL’s toughest defensive tackles to block.
The Denver Broncos also got involved on offense, trading for former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, according to ESPN. No terms for that move were included in the available recap.
Buffalo made a receiver move of its own. ESPN reported that the Bills sent a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for D.J. Moore, putting Moore with quarterback Josh Allen.
Why do these moves matter now?
Training camp is the first real test of how offseason plans look on the field. New stars need to learn playbooks, quarterbacks need timing with new targets, and defenses have to rebuild roles around new personnel.
ESPN also pointed to coaching turnover and the ongoing focus on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers as part of the broader offseason catch-up. The available recap did not provide specific coaching changes or new Rodgers details.
The regular season is still ahead, but the offseason has already redrawn several depth charts. Garrett in Los Angeles, Brown in New England, Lawrence in Cincinnati, Waddle in Denver and Moore in Buffalo are the moves ESPN singled out as camp opens.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.