Former-Rams S Eric Weddle: Myles Garrett’s Value Extends Off the Field Too

The Los Angeles Rams trading for Myles Garrett made plenty of sense on paper. But according to Eric Weddle, the real value of the move goes well beyond what shows up in a box score.

Weddle, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams and knows the organization from the inside, told Rich that the acquisition fits perfectly with how Los Angeles has operated for years. "They identify someone that they feel can help not only on the field, but within the building," Weddle said. "And one of the few organizations year in and year out go all in for a Super Bowl."

That framing matters, because the move sharpened a hard question about Jared Verse, a young pass rusher Weddle called "a stud." The calculus, as Weddle laid it out, is straightforward: the Rams had to weigh whether they would pay Verse top dollar when his contract came up, and if the answer was no, then going and getting the best defensive player in the entire NFL was the move, especially knowing they might lose him to cap constraints anyway. If you can get the best defensive player in the entire NFL, you do it, even if it means losing a guy you love. "You're getting a future Hall of Famer, transcendent type talent to add to your team to go win a Super Bowl now," he said.

And when Garrett walks into that building, Weddle argued, the effect will ripple far beyond the stat sheet. "His leadership, his accountability, being coachable, how he works, how he prepares. That's going to resonate through the entire building and through all those young guys." The point Weddle kept coming back to: when Garrett eventually retires, those traits stay behind. "These moves are so much bigger than just the on the field."

Rich pushed on what makes Sean McVay capable of navigating decisions like this one, the kind that require telling a player you genuinely like that the team is moving on. Weddle didn't hesitate. McVay has a rare ability to earn respect while also giving it, he said, and that makes the hard conversations possible. "It's lonely being up top, but he is just one of a kind, man." Weddle added that the two still talk monthly, a relationship that formed quickly and stuck.

The conversation also turned to Matthew Stafford and the Rams' decision to draft Ty Simpson rather than add offensive help. Weddle drew a direct parallel to his own situation when he signed with the Rams after being released by the Ravens. When the draft came around, McVay called him a few picks before selecting Taylor Rapp to give him a heads up. "At that point I'm not worried about a rookie taking my job," Weddle said. He applied the same logic to Stafford. A veteran quarterback that deep into his career isn't threatened by a rookie sitting behind him. If Stafford is still playing well two or three years from now, Weddle said, "that's the best case scenario. Because that means he's still playing great football. We probably have a couple more Super Bowls and Ty can just sit and learn."

The bigger picture Weddle painted is a franchise that understands how winning cultures actually work. They're not just adding a pass rusher. They're importing a standard.