Before the 2024 regular season concluded for the Cleveland Browns, All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett made his discontent known.
Despite another impressive season, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year voiced his dissatisfaction with the team’s direction, signaling his reluctance to go through another rebuilding phase.
His apparent unhappiness with the franchise led many to believe that he would soon find his way out of Cleveland.
Garrett, who posted an impressive stat line of 47 tackles, 28 QB hits, 14 sacks, and three forced fumbles during a challenging year for the Browns, made it clear he is not interested in being part of another rebuild.
Although he is under contract for two more years, Garrett expressed his willingness to request a trade if the organization doesn’t show a commitment to winning.
“I’m not trying to rebuild,” Garrett bluntly said. “I’m trying to win right now. And I want that to be apparent when the season is over and we have those discussions.
“I want them to be able to illuminate, illustrate that for me so that can be something I can see in the near future.”
The possibility of Garrett leaving the Browns gained further attention when general manager Andrew Berry was questioned at the Senior Bowl this week about the prospect of trading the star defender for a pair of first-round picks.
Berry, however, made it abundantly clear that such a move was out of the question.
“Correct. You can put that on the record,” Berry said of the idea that Garrett is virtually untouchable.
It’s evident that the Browns have no intention of parting with Garrett anytime soon. Instead, Berry hinted at the possibility of a contract extension for the standout defensive end.
“We feel really good about Myles obviously as a big piece of our future,” Berry said. “We’re looking forward to him being on the field. Like I said in my (early January) press conference, we envision him going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over.”
For years, Garrett has been the cornerstone of the Browns’ defense, and unless he actively pushes for a trade this offseason, it seems that his role as the team’s defensive leader will remain unchanged heading into next season.
Currently, Garrett is slated to earn approximately $25 million in 2025, cementing his status as one of the league’s highest-paid defenders.
What are your thoughts on the speculation that Garrett could eventually be available via trade???
(After all, we’ve seen similar situations like this play out before. Just because Berry said he’s unavailable doesn’t mean he really is…)
