One of the NFL’s defining offseason storylines looks to have taken shape today. Myles Garrett has requested a trade, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the team has known about the reigning Defensive Player of the Year’s aim for a while.
As could be expected, the Browns are not in a rush to accommodate the impact defender. Browns GM Andrew Berry has said multiple times this offseason Garrett would not be dealt, with his most recent offering insisting no trade would occur even if two first-round picks were proposed. The team is not budging in light of this request becoming public, but Garrett may be dug in as well.
Trade requests are a common play amid contract talks, but this appears to be a true desire on Garrett’s part to leave town. Garrett wants to be dealt to a team in better position to contend for a Super Bowl, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds that this is not a contract play. It could also naturally be assumed the Browns would have time to show Garrett they are serious about a route back to immediate contention, Fowler adds that the eight-year veteran would not change his mind and wants to move on.
Garrett debuted for a Browns team that went 0-16, doing so after a 1-15 season moved the team into position to draft the Texas A&M standout. Although the Browns snapped a 17-season playoff drought when Kevin Stefanski earned the first of his Coach of the Year honors by overseeing a Baker Mayfield rebound in 2020, the team’s attempt to go bigger has backfired in historic fashion. Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson acquisition, when the fully guaranteed contract is factored in, may be the worst trade in NFL history. No veteran QB had cost three first-round picks since 1976, and Watson never came close to justifying it. It has dragged down Berry’s attempts to fortify the roster around a two-time Coach of the Year.
With Watson now in play to miss all of 2025 due to a second Achilles tear, it is fairly clear the Browns need a new plan. Garrett said in December he would turn to a trade request if he felt the organization’s recovery blueprint was insufficient, and he has turned his key. That said, the Browns are still somewhat protected here thanks to the DE’s contract situation and the franchise tag’s presence. The Browns could tag Garrett in 2027, and while this process should be resolved by then, the tag’s presence arms the team with more leverage. Garrett staging a true holdout would be his only countermeasure, and as the Haason Reddick situation showed this past season, it is an expensive play.
Berry said last week the Browns are open to a second Garrett extension, despite two seasons remaining on his current deal — a five-year, $125MM pact. Nick Bosa is tied to a deal worth $9MM more per year than Garrett, and star rushers T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson are in contract years. The cost of doing business will rise for the Browns as a result. They appear OK with paying Garrett once again, which makes this trade request more interesting than the usual contract-driven asks.
It should be expected Garrett, 29, will pass on attending Browns offseason activities. Minicamp holdouts have been more common in recent years, as the fine for skipping the June workouts is roughly $100K. Training camp would be the battleground for Garrett, unless the Browns switch up and make a deal to recoup significant draft capital before this year’s draft.
The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick, and a Garrett trade would arm them further to crawl out of the 3-14 mess the Watson decision largely created. As of now, Berry and Co. are prepared to wait out their top player.
Anyone know why the Browns haven’t pursued trying to void Watson’s contract for not following the doctors orders to wear a walking boot? Seemed pretty cut and dry to me but I’m not a contract expert so maybe it wasn’t possible.
They might be doing that. At least investigation/preparation.
It’s beyond me why they gave Watson such an exorbitant contract to begin with. Especially after he was accused many many times of sexual misconduct. Dudes made of glass.
I get it, QB desperate teams do crazy desperate things. Whether it’s Rodgers, Cousins, or Wilson teams will do insane things when they’re convinced they’re a QB away. Obviously the Browns screwed up way worse than the other teams put together but it was what was needed to be done to have the possibility of getting pre suspension Watson.
Given that Deshaun Watson has something like $80 million left in guaranteed money and they probably need to find two new offensive tackles in addition to a quarterback (among other things), exactly how much can they realistically accomplish with an aggressive offseason? I mean, they can accomplish a lot theoretically, but definitely not realistically enough to make them dangerous next season.
Garrett has made enough money to holdout and probably will. Best moving him now then trying to play hardball at this point with how much the team is in disarray. lol Browns may want to be aggressive this offseason but that doesn’t mean that they’re a destination. Best the just move pieces and gain as many assets as possible to blow up and rebuild. Watson nuked this roster so it needs a overhaul.
That’s hard for Brown’s fans, but ya can’t blame a guy for wanting a shot at a championship. Even the best players have a shelf life.
I also can’t imagine it’s easy on the mindset to have your team held hostage by a sex pest who isn’t even good at football and has the most guaranteed money in football history.
I guarantee you a player or two got in his ear at the Pro Bowl games this past weekend. It’s not a coincidence he put out this tweet the next morning after that.
Of course that happen. I didn’t watch or follow the pro bowl week but if Crosby was there he likely got talked to as well.
Aggressive defines the Browns and that is their issue.
Aggressive also doesn’t always mean good things lol… See ; Browns trade for Deshaun Watson.
With the QB room there anyone who wants to win a Suer Bowl should be running towards the exits.
Browns fans deserve better , I feel for them.
Holding a premium player hostage who wants out of a crappy situation