The Cleveland Browns might be in for an even bigger offseason overhaul than they had initially envisioned.
Defensive end Myles Garrett on Monday requested a trade from the organization.
‘As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl – and that goal fuels me today more than ever,’ Garrett wrote in a statement. ‘My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man I am today.
‘While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl.
‘With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.’
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Garrett, 29, arrived in Cleveland as the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NFL draft. He has tallied 102 ½ sacks in eight years – a figure that ranks only behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt (108) during that span) – earning six Pro Bowl berths and four All-Pro nods while taking home NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023.
The Browns finished 3-14 in 2024, just one year after making the playoffs for only the second time in Garrett’s tenure. Garrett said the year was even more of a letdown than when Cleveland finished 0-16 in his rookie campaign.
‘It’s probably a more disappointing season because of what we expected out of ourselves,’ Garrett said after the season finale, a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Garrett made clear in December he didn’t want to be part of an extensive transition period during the prime of his career.
‘I’m not trying to rebuild,’ he 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. Because that’s all we want to do.’
The Browns, however, are facing widespread uncertainty, with Deshaun Watson’s availability yet to be determined after the quarterback tore his right Achilles again and underwent a second surgery in January.
Garrett instantly becomes the most sought-after player on the open market. The Los Angeles Chargers’ Khalil Mack is considered by many to be the top free agent pass-rushing on the market, but the nine-time Pro Bowl selection and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year turns 34 later in February.
Will Browns trade Myles Garrett? GM Andrew Berry previously said no
Garrett’s public trade request puts general manager Andrew Berry in an awkward position.
Berry told three Browns beat writers last week that the team would rebuff trade offers for Garrett, even if they entailed two first-round draft picks.
‘Correct,’ Berry responded. ‘You can put that on the record.’
Myles Garrett’s contract with Browns
Berry last week declined to address the current status of talks between the organization and Garrett but said the team intended on reaching another contract with its star pass rusher – and keeping him in the fold for the rest of his career.
‘I don’t want to go into contract discussions. I wouldn’t do that publicly,’ Berry said. ‘But I think you can assume that we do anticipate at some point doing a third contract with Myles. We want him to retire here.’
This story has been updated with new information.