Former number-one overall draft pick and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett officially requested that he be traded away from the Cleveland Browns. In a statement released on February 3rd, the six-time All-Pro cited a desire to win as one of the main reasons he is looking to get out of Cleveland.
“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. “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 that 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.”
Myles Garrett has requested a trade.
His statement: pic.twitter.com/yx5Q9Exa0V
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2025
Though there was speculation that Garrett wanted to force his way out of Cleveland, Browns general manager Andrew Barry tried to provide clarity on the situation in late January by saying that Cleveland would not be interested in fielding phone calls surrounding a potential trade for the six-time Pro Bowler. He added that the Browns wanted Garrett “to retire here.”
Garrett’s feelings toward the situation were clearly not aligned with Barry’s, so it sounds like the star defensive end will be playing for a new team at the start of next season.
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Where does Cleveland go from here?
The Cleveland Browns are once again the armpit of the National Football League. Despite making the playoffs last season, they are now one of the worst teams in the NFL and will likely be losing their best player to a trade. On top of that, they still owe quarterback Deshaun Watson $145.8 million over the next two years. Cleveland is in NFL hell right now.
There are a few silver linings for the Browns. They have the second-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which means they will likely draft a quarterback to be the new face of the franchise (either Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward). One of those guys will provide the Browns with a new sense of direction and a future that they can actually build around.
Garrett will also bring in a good haul for Cleveland. They may not have as much leverage as initially because he has made it clear that he wants to leave, but Garrett is still a highly sought-after player who will bring many assets back to the Browns. He is worth one second-round pick and one third-round pick at the very least. I could even see a team sending Cleveland a first-rounder and some other picks for Garrett. After all, this is a guy who can change football games almost singlehandedly.
The Browns are fielding calls right now, but they can’t make any official moves until the new NFL calendar year begins on March 12th, 2025. I would expect a trade to be either announced or agreed to in principle around that date.
Who will trade for Myles Garrett?
There are a few teams that immediately come to mind that are looking to win now and have the cap space to trade for Garrett.
The Green Bay Packers could be a good situation for Garrett. They have made two straight playoff appearances despite having the youngest roster in the league. The Packers could also use some more pass-rushing prowess after they traded away outside linebacker Preston Smith during the season.
The Washington Commanders are another ideal fit for Garrett. With over $68.8 million in effective cap space, they could make a move for Garrett and still have the financial flexibility to retain key contributors from this season or even sign new players in free agency this off-season.
The Minnesota Vikings don’t necessarily need pass-rushing help, but when a guy like Myles Garrett becomes available, you reconsider all of your options. With Jonathan Bullard under contract this year, the Vikes will need to find a replacement for him next season. Myles Garrett would be a massive improvement over Bullard.
Though they aren’t in win-now mode, the New England Patriots could also be suitors for Myles Garrett. The Pats are fast-tracking their rebuild by pairing new coach Mike Vrabel with former number-three overall draft pick Drake Maye at quarterback. They are also projected to have over $110 million in cap space in 2025, so they’ll have no problem acquiring Garrett and extending him if that’s what he wants.
I expect every team to at least be involved in trade talks surrounding Myles Garrett. He could genuinely end up anywhere outside of Cleveland, Ohio.