Turf Show Times
When the Los Angeles Rams traded for Myles Garrett, there were many winners on both sides, but perhaps none bigger than the Rams and Garrett. L.A. added a superstar pass rusher and finally Garrett is on a team that will contend for the Super Bowl. Who were some of the winners that haven’t received as much attention this week?
The Rams’ fans are, without a doubt, the biggest winners of this trade.
The buzz on sites like Turf Show Times and others like it is through the roof, and why wouldn’t it be? Les Snead has gifted the fans the second coming of Aaron Donald in the form of Garrett, and added him to what was already considered by many to be the most talented team in the league.
The Rams have expectations to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2021, and anything less would be heartbreaking—especially after trading for Garrett. There are only 73 more sleeps until the first preseason game. The countdown is on and L.A.’s fans are checking their calendars more than ever because of this unexpected trade for Garrett. While fans were already eager to get to Week 1, this trade takes that anticipation to another level.
What a great time to be a Rams fan!
Shula enters his 10th season with the Rams and his third as the defensive coordinator. In 2025, the Rams’ defense finished 10th in scoring defense and 12th in rushing defense. They forced the fifth-most turnovers in the league with 26, including 16 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries, and ranked fifth in pressure rate generated (38.0%).
With Snead’s additions to the defense, including cornerbacks Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, in addition to Garrett, every single category should see an improvement.
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr has posted a great article about how Shula can use Garrrett in ways that the Browns never could:
“McVay and DC Chris Shula in concert, having a broader grasp on offensive football, will be able to use Garrett in ways that we have not seen previously, or to simply use the idea of him in a more devastating way. By allowing offenses each week to present their desperate attempts at containment—a process that will involve a cadre of wing players, tight ends and tackles deployed in various ways to maintain a proper phalanx around Garrett—McVay and Shula can then more easily understand what counterpunch can break the remainder of an offense that has now understaffed itself out of singular respect for Garrett. McVay can also more authoritatively advise how another team will attempt to stop Garrett, which opens Shula up for a suite of creative secondary blitzes, stunts and other chicanery at the snap.“
What Orr is saying essentially is that Shula can use McVay’s brilliant offensive mind to help him maximize his defensive schemes. The Rams aren’t that far removed from Donald’s playing days, so there should be...
