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Bombshell: The Browns are finalizing a trade that will send two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, per @rapsheet, @TomPelissero and me.
In exchange for Garrett, the Rams are expected to send Pro-Bowl edge Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick and other draft-pick compensation still being negotiated to the Browns.
For years, the Bengals have asked Burrow to solve the puzzle after the snap. And because he's Joe Burrow, he's usually been able to do it.
But the best offenses in football don't just rely on their quarterback being smarter than everyone else.
They create stress. They force communication. They manufacture hesitation.
Chase Brown has the speed to be one of the most dangerous conflict players in football.
Adding Samaje Perine beside him gives Cincinnati another way to make defenses wrong before the ball is even snapped.
And that's the kind of schematic evolution that turns efficient offenses into explosive ones.
Day 1 of discussing how the 2026 Bengals become more explosive.
One thing I'd love to see more of in 2026 is Chase Brown being used as a true conflict player, specifically through pony personnel packages with Samaje Perine.
Here's why:
Story for ESPN on a sneaky but major problem for Cincinnati and Joe Burrow that needs to be solved ahead of this season: Being better on first downs.
https://t.co/9fmfxuWS1y
This is the part people miss when discussing offensive evolution.
The goal isn't to trick defenses with gadget plays.
The goal is to make multiple plays look the same.
Out of the exact same pony look, the Bengals could run inside zone, outside zone, screens, angle routes, wheel routes, play action, empty formations, or motion one of the backs across the formation to identify coverage.
Now Burrow gets more information before the snap, while the defense gets less.
That's a trade every offense should make.