The talented future Hall of Famer has stated he wants out of Cleveland

It was quite a shock to everyone who covers the team or cheers for the Cleveland Browns on Monday, February 3 when All-World defensive end and elite pass rusher Myles Garrett announced that he would like to seek a trade out of Cleveland and suit up for a playoff team instead.

Since his revelation to bolt the Browns, a lot has been written about the subject. His impending departure was the lead conversation on every sports radio show. The talk was both pro and con about Garrett leaving, and if so, what teams would be the most interested in obtaining his services.

That is all fine and good. Maybe the Browns should grant his request and allow him to go to a club that is either in the Super Bowl or was just on the edge of competing in the big game.

Understand this: the Browns own his football rights. They possess a valid contract with him in which he has two years remaining that will pay him $20 million this upcoming season and $25 million in 2026.

Currently, Garrett has more money than he can spend. That $45 million is great and all, but it will just sit in an account like the rest of his unspent millions. He drives a nice car, but he doesn’t own a fleet. He lives in a five-bedroom, five-bathroom, 4,500-square-foot house in Wadsworth, Ohio. But even that isn’t a sprawling mansion like other high-profile athletes’ purchase. His house only has a value of $1.49 million – not $14 million or $40 million as you might have expected.

QB Aaron Rodgers owns four mansions in four states, for example. Garrett may not have Rodger’s net worth, but he does have a respectable income and doesn’t seem to spend too much or flaunt it. The bottom line is money isn’t an issue in his life.

When the Browns drafted Garrett first overall in the 2017 NFL draft, they could have had QB Patrick Mahomes instead. DE T.J. Watt or RB Christian McCaffrey. However, they chose Garrett. And he has delivered every season.

A playoff year followed by a horrible season

The realization sank in for Garrett this year. That comprehension was that the Browns weren’t ever going to be a Super Bowl contender as long as he remained a roster member.

And that come-to-Jesus moment hit him this year.

Last season, the Browns made the playoffs, won 11 games, became the highest Wild Card seed, and played one game in the postseason. One situation is firm: you can’t win the Super Bowl if you don’t make the playoffs.

This year, the Browns were outplayed and outmatched right out of the gate by getting blasted by the Dallas Cowboys, who, as the schedule of games fell off the calendar, proved to be a mediocre team. Losses to some of the NFL’s worst teams such as the New York Football Giants, New Orleans Saints, and the Las Vegas Raiders proved that the Browns just were not good.

A 14-loss season was the result.

Garrett will be 30 years old during the upcoming 2025 season. Everyone knows that the 30-plateau is when an athlete begins to descend as the clock begins towards the end of their career. Garrett himself is well aware of this. In the interview he held with host Rich Eisen on “The Rich Eisen Show”, Garrett stated:

“I feel like the window for us as athletes is only so broad. And it only continues to close as years go by with anything that can happen on that field from day to day.”

He realizes that his athletic clock is winding down, and he isn’t closer to a Super Bowl appearance than the winless season he experienced during his rookie season eight years ago. So, he is asking the franchise to send him to a playoff contender which would at least give him a chance of getting a ring.

Garrett has stated this revelation is not based on an attempt to up his current contract, especially a ploy to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. He simply wants to win a Super Bowl, or at the very least be shipped to a playoff contender who is on the cusp of getting to the big game. He might never make it, and he might never win an NFL championship, but at least a club that goes to the playoffs on a regular basis is his best bet.

But to do this, he would have to depart Cleveland. He would no longer be a resident of Northeastern Ohio. He would leave his teammates behind.

So far, the Browns are taking a hard line and stating they have no intention of trading him. Sorry, but no thank you. But deep down, you can tell Garrett has no intention of playing in Cleveland any longer. Make a trade, get some great high-round picks, and improve the team. That’s the entire strategy. Everyone wins, right? Yes?

Hasn’t Garrett given the team all his blood, sweat, and tears all these years? Hasn’t he represented the City of Cleveland honorably? And now, can’t they simply just grant his wishes?

There are several media outlets that have predicted what the Browns would receive in return for his services. The pinnacle is several first-round draft picks. Holy Sackmaster Batman! That would certainly change the dynamics of the roster, so why not trade him?

Therefore, it appears the process is relatively unpretentious: find a trade partner, agree to how many draft picks and in which round, and pull the trigger. Pretty simple, right?

Not so fast

There are some financial hurdles. In fact, more than you think and substantially an ample amount greater than anyone has mentioned regarding any of this.

After sending out a message that he would like to be traded, Garrett has maintained his chill persona. But does he understand the impact that a pre-June 1 trade will have on his teammates?

Let’s first dive into his contract history.

Drafted first overall in the 2017 NFL draft, Garrett then inked a four-year, $30.41 million contract that was fully guaranteed. He received a $20.25 million signing bonus, offset language options, and the team installed an option for a fifth year.

Cleveland exercised the fifth-year option on his contract on April 27, 2020.

Three months later, the Browns signed him to an extension. The new deal was for five years paying $125 million with $50 million guaranteed. This contract’s cap number is $19.722 million in 2025 and $20.374 million in 2026. There is also a voidable option year for 2027 at a price of $40.916 million.

GM Andrew Berry has a cap problem. The Browns salary cap situation is one of the league’s most dire.

Examine what a trade of Garrett would entail.

As stated earlier, Garrett currently counts for $19.722 million on the cap this year. If Cleveland did indeed trade him, that would leave the team with $36.2 million in dead money. That equates to a loss of $16.5 million in cap room.

For the Browns in the current state to be under the cap, Berry must restructure the current deals of Denzel Ward, Joel Bitonio, Deshaun Watson, and Wyatt Teller. This will open up $53 million. Additionally, OT Jack Conklin will need to be released which will give another $4 million in space.

With these major moves and a few smaller player contracts restructured, the Browns will become salary cap compliant.

However, trading Garrett would negate three of the moves mentioned above and thrust the Browns back into salary cap hell.

In order to keep his dead money at only $36.2 million, Berry will have to adjust Garrett’s current contract and remove the option bonuses he has for 2025, then shift those funds to the following year. This is a critical maneuver. If this is not accomplished, then the amount of the dead money would rise due to the option prorations with an offset to that money coming in 2026.

There may be a different path Berry could take. The rules for adjustments after June 1 could play as an advantage.

First off, the Browns would have to wait until the free agency period begins, and then after the NFL college draft is completed. Then trade Garrett after June 1.

What this does is reduce the dead money to $15.6 million. But there’s a small glitch. A one-time payment of $5 million would have to be paid to Garrett as an option bonus although Cleveland would not get any compensation for him in this year draft. The franchise would then defer $25.5 million of dead money to the 2026 contract year.

As far as Garrett’s contract, the club that ends up trading for him would need to pay him $14.8 million this season and $25 million in 2026. Most likely though, his new team would want him to be under a new contract before the trade is finalized to ensure that everyone is happy. This would in all likelihood place him in the $30-$35 million a year salary range.

So, in the end with these scenarios, Garrett would be shipped off to a playoff contender plus be given a substantial raise.

Is a trade likely?

Garrett is a beast as a pass rusher. The Golden Rule is you can’t have enough cover cornerbacks or elite pass rushers.

He wants to play in meaningful games and get his chance to win a Super Bowl or two, but there is only a 6.25% chance of that happening every year for any player in the league. Would any NFL club meet the trade demands set forth by Berry?

Seems like a pipe dream at this point.

It is doubtful that a team would offer two first-round draft picks. The most likely is one first-round, one second-round, and a third-round selection for Garrett. Perhaps Berry could find a trade partner that may throw in a player, but the bottom line is the Detroit Lions’ trade deadline bounty offer from last year of two first-round picks plus RB Jahmyr Gibbs has already sailed.

Dawgs By Nature staff writer Damon Wolfe suggested:

“I’m sobering up to trading Myles is not an option at all for Berry and (Kevin) Stefanski. They may have to swing really big. That’s true. It’s going to be a fascinating off-season. Right now, it’s a PR standoff. I think in the end Myles caves because he cares too much about the guys in that locker room and it’s a death blow for them. I wonder if this is Myles holding their feet to the fire in free agency?”

Which brings up a valid point. The timing of Garrett’s letter asking for a trade occurred before the free agency period plus the college draft. On the surface, this would indicate he is giving the Browns ample time to find his replacement. He didn’t come up with this during the first week of training camp when all the replacement options had been picked over and Cleveland did not address pass rusher in the draft.

And since any trade should occur after June 1, that would mean any draft picks the Browns would get for Garrett would be for future draft classes – and not this year.

This fact in itself is a total “oh no” moment.

Knowing that Cleveland would enter the 2025 season without Garrett, two first-round picks in this year’s draft would have been gold. If Garrett was traded to a playoff contender, that indicates they are picking at the bottom of the first round – but so what? Two first-round choices are two first-round blue-chippers added to a roster that has more holes than Alfred’s Hall in Cirencester Park, England.

Would this fact alter even a notion of a trade?

Dawgs By Nature producer Jared Mueller offered this:

“No matter what, they need to act like they aren’t trading him. The same as acting like they are taking a quarterback at the #2 slot. It is trade leverage.”

Right now, Berry and the Browns have stated they are not paying attention to his trade request and aren’t entertaining offers for Garrett.

Hang in there Myles! We’re on our way! pic.twitter.com/kDAUXA2qOk

— Jake Marlow (@JakeMarlow47) February 3, 2025

That doesn’t mean team GMs aren’t calling. That doesn’t mean Berry isn’t getting feeler offers already. That also doesn’t mean that Berry won’t trade the talented edge rusher. Every GM and coach speaks “Hollywood Talk” where they won’t tell you what you are asking about. It is part of a strategy and helps with leverage.

Nobody gets dealt a pair of aces in the hole and exclaims how lucky they are right off the draw. The “poker face” is a real part of dealing with other NFL clubs. What Berry wants, is to get the maximum for Garrett if he does indeed trade him. The car you want the most is the one you show the least amount of interest in so that you can barter the price down.

Garrett is the face of the Cleveland Browns.

He is well-loved by fans, coaches, and management. Nobody talks bad about him. He isn’t a showboat, has all the money he can spend, and is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is approachable despite him being a mega-superstar. But he knows there isn’t a “Super Bowl window” with the Browns. He knows whatever “plan” Cleveland has does not sit well with him.

It will be something to see how it plays out in the end.

A lot of pandering will be thrown Garrett’s way in an effort to keep his services and hopefully change his mind especially if Berry signs a really good free-agent class, and the draft becomes a bonanza with all the high picks the franchise has at their disposal. What would be Garrett’s reaction after selecting Penn State DE Abdul Carter with the second overall pick who is seen as a problem on every down?

But make these notes:

1. Why would Garrett even bring up being traded to a playoff contender if he hasn’t thought long and hard about it?
2. Why would he risk his spotless reputation by asking for a trade and then retract the notion?
3. He is not an attention-seeker and has already stated he isn’t trying to get a huge contract with his request.
4. At this stage Garrett is not saying “Trade me or else.” His message is that he has lost complete faith in the Browns’ coaching staff and front office to put a winning program on the field.

“Buckle up—this isn’t going to be a clean/easy breakup between the Browns and Myles Garrett. As one NFL executive put it, ‘It’s gonna be a wild few weeks.”

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 3, 2025

No team ever wants to get rid of their cornerstone athlete and the Browns don’t have any obligation to fulfill Garrett and his representation’s request to be traded.

But he is certain that the Browns aren’t ever going to sniff a Super Bowl.

Garrett simply wants his football parents to allow him to reach his goal of winning a ring.