Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio isn’t buying into the Cleveland Browns’ recent decision to extend star pass rusher Myles Garrett – and he believes the franchise missed a golden opportunity to course-correct from what he calls the “Deshaun Watson mistake.”
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Florio didn’t hold back, arguing the Browns should have considered trading Garrett for draft capital instead of committing more money to a roster that’s already been gutted by past decisions.
“They gave up three 1st round picks plus multiple additional draft picks to get Watson. That’s part of the cost of that deal that doesn’t get discussed very much. What could they have gotten for Garrett, they necessarily gave that up by dumping the money into Garrett now,” Florio said.
Florio questioned whether Cleveland even explored the idea of moving Garrett, suggesting the team may have taken the easy way out.
“Whatever they could’ve gotten via trade, that’s gone. Who knows if they even explored it, there were never any reports that they were, but they could have. It’s not just a one-way decision for the Browns to dig deep and throw enough money at the problem to at least solve it short term.”
Florio pointed to a troubling pattern, claiming the Browns have developed a tendency to “throw money at problems,” first with the Watson acquisition and now with Garrett’s extension.
The Watson deal famously cost the Browns six premium picks: first- and fourth-rounders in 2022, first- and third-rounders in 2023, and first- and fourth-rounders again in 2024.
It’s hard to argue that the Watson deal, considering what Cleveland traded to acquire him and then the fully-guaranteed contract they ended up giving him, will go down as the worst in NFL history.
The picks the Browns gave up in the trade ended up in the hands of several teams after being traded down the line – resulting in the Eagles drafting Jordan Davis (No. 13, 2022), the Lions selecting Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12, 2023), and the Jaguars eventually taking Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 23, 2024), among others.
Florio’s argument is that instead of doubling down, the Browns could have recouped some of that value by trading Garrett while his stock remains high.
Still, Cleveland has opted to hold onto one of its foundational defensive stars. Garrett is coming off a stellar 2024 season, starting all 17 games and racking up 47 tackles, 14 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and a pass breakup.
Despite his dominant play, the Browns stumbled to a 3-14 finish in 2024, falling far short of their 2023 playoff appearance.
As the franchise looks to regroup and regain traction, they’re clearly betting that Garrett will remain a central piece of their identity on defense – even if it means living with the consequences of past mistakes.
What are your thoughts on Florio’s comments? … Did the Browns indeed make another mistake???
