Once April's draft is complete, the dog days of the NFL calendar begin. Las Vegas Raiders fans, like those around the league, are clinging to reports from OTAs or listening intently to every presser or media availability from anyone within the organization. It's slow, and that craving for news is natural.
But on June 1, a blip occurs. The financial considerations for certain veterans change dramatically on this date, so players are traded or cut with fewer ramifications for the franchise. Oftentimes, these moves are known ahead of time or feel like foregone conclusions. Others are complete blindsides.
The Cleveland Browns trading superstar defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday wasn't exactly on anyone's radar, but the blockbuster deal has reportedly been agreed upon. Garrett is headed to the Rams for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-rounder, and potentially much more.
This is, of course, a Raiders blog, so let's talk about how this league-altering move is a double-edged sword for Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Raiders will see both sides of blockbuster Myles Garrett trade in 2026
In a simple sense, the ripple effect of this trade is that the Silver and Black will now have to face a Rams team in Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season that has Garrett in addition to all of their other supreme talent and household names. That is going to be a very tough game to win, even at home.
However, the flip side of the coin is that the Raiders will be facing a Garrett-less Browns team in Week 12, which paves a clearer lane to a late-season victory at a potentially momentum-flipping juncture of the year. Winning a game just before the bye could spur a late-season run for Klint Kubiak's squad.
Okay, back to that matchup with the Rams at Allegiant Stadium. We recently wrote about Week 6 as a relatively soft landing spot for Fernando Mendoza to get his first start, as he'd get two home games in a row before a favorable road matchup against the Jets and a quick trip to play at the 49ers.
With Garrett now looming in Week 7 for Los Angeles, though, that is a daunting time to throw a young quarterback into the fold if Mendoza hasn't played already. Garrett is easily the best defensive player in the league and one of the most unstoppable talents the NFL has to offer.
Las Vegas may be better suited to letting Kirk Cousins take those hits or deal with Garrett and the rest of the Rams' bloodthirsty defensive line than the youngster. But that Week 12 matchup in Cleveland now looks like a game Raider Nation can pencil in more as a victory.
During the 2025 campaign, the Raiders and Browns faced off in Week 12 as well, and Garrett single-handedly ruined whatever game plan the Silver and Black had. He actually dominated so much and derailed things so thoroughly that Chip Kelly was fired that night.
Garrett recorded 3.0 sacks, four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and two forced fumbles in the contest. Luckily for Las Vegas, they won't have to worry about Garrett late in the season. The Raiders have a much more feasible route to winning against the Browns than they did before.
And if the Silver and Black can win ahead of their Week 13 bye, then they'd head into the easiest portion of their schedule with momentum and could finish the year strong. They'll have three home games in a row and a road bout against the Cardinals in the final five weeks.
While you never know what can happen, and they play the games for a reason, Las Vegas beating the Rams wasn't all that likely. With Garrett, it is even less so. But the Raiders' main obstacle to beating Cleveland was Garrett, and he's no longer with the Browns, so there is at least that.
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