Andrew Berry is not budging on his early-offseason Myles Garrett stances. The Browns are set against trading the future Hall of Fame pass rusher.
Reaffirming that at the Combine, the sixth-year GM said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) the Browns are “not interested in moving him.” Other teams continue to circle, with the Browns having received calls on a player who has made it clear he wants out. Cleveland is prepping a monster Garrett extension offer — during what should be an explosive offseason on the EDGE market — but it is unclear how much that would move the needle for the disgruntled All-Pro.
[RELATED: Sweat Makes Agency Change]
As teams look into this matter, execs around the league are connecting the Eagles as a team that will be pursuing a pass rusher. This loose Philly-Garrett tie comes as Josh Sweat nears free agency. It does not look like the reigning Super Bowl champions will re-sign the standout edge rusher, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating (h/t iHeartRadio’s Victor Williams) expectations are pointing to a Sweat exit in free agency.
Sweat could hardly have done more to finalize his case as a top-tier free agency in the upcoming class, having hounded Patrick Mahomes throughout Super Bowl LIX. Exposing a Joe Thuney-at-LT plan that had been moderately effective for the Chiefs en route to the Super Bowl, Sweat collected 2.5 sacks and forced an interception when he drove the Kansas City LT into Mahomes late in the first half. Sweat, 27, finished the season with eight sacks and did well to reestablish his value after accepting a March 2024 pay cut.
Playing for $10MM last season, Sweat will be aiming much higher as a first-time free agent. The former fourth-round pick signed a three-year, $40MM extension with the Eagles in 2021. He became the team’s 2024 edge-rushing centerpiece, as Brandon Graham went down with a triceps tear and Bryce Huff — thus far, at least — proved unworthy of the three-year, $51.1MM deal. Although the Eagles have Nolan Smith set to play a lead role in next year’s pass rush, third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt may still be viewed as a backup.
This has connected execs to Garrett for Philly. Some around the league mentioned the Eagles as a landing spot previously, citing Berry’s past working for Howie Roseman. The Eagles, who added a third-round pick by unloading Haason Reddick last spring, have made splashy trades under Roseman. They moved a first-rounder to add A.J. Brown in 2022, parted with a second to acquire Ronald Darby in 2017. Roseman was in the Eagles’ front office (but not yet GM) when they dealt first-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to obtain Jason Peters from the Bills back in 2009. Peters and Brown proved worthy of the trade costs.
Teams are prepared to part with a first-round pick and change for Garrett, even though Berry has continued to come out against any trade. Garrett, 29, would also be eyeing a big-ticket extension. That would affect teams’ trade offers, but the Eagles have shown a willingness to be creative to help fit contracts onto their cap sheet in the recent past. It might take a while to pry Garrett from Cleveland, with the draft looming as the first notable deadline here. But the Eagles have been willing to wait on big trades in the past.
They’d be better off drafting a stud edge (Roseman would find the right one)and paying him on a rookie deal than mortgaging the future on a couple of years of Garret.
I thought you were going to suggest the Bears get twice as Sweaty.
I wouldn’t extend him. He’s under contract. He can either play out his deal or if the Browns get some sort of mammoth deal, maybe trade him.
I’m not sure if any team would give up that mammoth deal for him though.
I don’t understand why players sign a long term big money contract gaining security, and then if the market changes or the team changes, they think they deserve to demand a trade or a new deal. How about living up to your commitments? Teams don’t take away any guaranteed money if a player has a bad season. Or is injured and misses time. They still expect the team to live up their commitments. Why can’t players just do the same?
Why don’t players live up to their commitments……agents who think any contract agreement is re-negotiable when its to their favor, and these athletes who have been coddled and taken care of since their college days always feel “disrespected” when the next guy up gets something better than what they have……don’t know about you all but have little respect for guys who walk around lighting their cigars with $100 dollar bills when they’re playing, but cry poverty after their careers are over and everyone has moved on except for them……
Aren’t you delusional. Teams sign players & coaches to contracts and terminate the contract one or more years early ALL the time whenever it suits them.
And that’s what they negotiate in their CBA. There’s a reason they don’t have guaranteed contracts like other leagues, they negotiate that away for other concessions.
Howie is overrated and drafts like crap unless it is a can’t miss guy everyone knows.
The Eagles can’t match Sweat’s market price, but can trade high draft picks which will create more cap pressure as well as pay a higher salary for Garrett. Who makes up this stuff…..Yes…I do agree Sweat is almost gone….but the Eagles will not be replacing him with a HIGHER paid player and give up significant draft capital forcing them to sign more high priced FAs…..
It does sound crazy – let the high priced free agent depart the team and take on an even-higher priced guy, while giving up huge draft capital. Shoot yourself in the foot stupid.
They also know Sweat has physical issues, it’s how and why he dropped in the draft. Sweat was mostly a part timer, you can maximize his production by limiting his snaps and preventing injury while Myles was a guy that can play every snap.
I still think he’s look pretty amazing in Silver & Black, across from Mad Max. That would immediately be the best DE tandem in football in a division where you must make the QB’s get rid of the ball quickly or they will eat you alive.
Maybe the Raiders bring over Stafford and that sways his decision?
Sign Aaron Jones and draft Jeanty with the six pick, add some O-line and you are in business.
And they are one of the teams with the cap space to did it.
***do it
Why in the world would Cleveland trade him to Philadelphia and get the the 32nd pick in the NFL draft? I don’t know who’s more stupid, these writers or the fans?
Most of the writers and most of the fans. We’re in the minority. It’s unfortunate but that’s the norm.
Lazy reporting. One gm knows another gm so therefore a story is invented.
Eagles have to replace BG, Sweat, and possibly Huff.
I can see them keeping Milt and Baun, and Becton. They’ll have to do cap magic to make that work.
They could target Garrett, but draft capital and financially makes no sense.
They could target Joey Bosa, always an injury concern and he’s lost a step. But regardless I would expect they’ll bring in a veteran FA if they let Sweat go. Maybe they can reclaim value on Huff tbd.
At 32, more likely than not they draft another edge rusher… James Pearce, Jack Sawyer, Saivion Jones someone of that ilk, but they could just end up sticking to their draft grades and take BPA if it’s an OL or DT graded above the available edge guys.
They have no room for cap magic. They have zero contracts that can be restructured currently because they already went all in for last year. This is also why they can’t keeo who they want. Right now they are lucky the cap increased like it did so they can maybe keep Becton on the o line. They literally are the only team with no contracts they can move the money into the future on.