It’s not often that someone regrets taking $160MM. But Myles Garrett‘s visible frustration during the Browns 32-13 loss to the Patriots suggested he may have second thoughts about signing an extension in Cleveland earlier this year.
Garrett notched 5.5 sacks in New England on Sunday, setting a Browns single-game record (that he first set in 2021 with 4.5 sacks). But immediately after his final sack, Garrett slammed his helmet on the sidelines (via FOX Sports). After the game, he strode into his press conference playing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “A Simple Man” on his phone, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, and continued to express his disappointment with the Browns’ season.
“I want to win,” said Garrett (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson). He added that his sideline frustration stemmed from a desire to stay in the game. Cleveland had pulled their starters, but New England’s were still in the game.
When asked about the team’s current situation more generally, Garrett responded, “It doesn’t get any easier each week you ask it.”
The Browns’ struggles have reignited trade talk surrounding the four-time All-Pro, but there is no way that Garrett is moved before this year’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Garrett’s contract is often cited as a primary reason that he won’t be traded, but Graziano notes that the finances are still workable for Cleveland. His deal includes fully guaranteed option bonuses in 2026, 2027, and 2028 (via OverTheCap) that an acquiring team would have to pay. The Browns would only have to absorb a $41MM dead cap hit in 2026, hardly a desirable outcome but still just over half of what the Broncos ate when they parted ways with Russell Wilson. Graziano also mentioned the Browns’ offseason pursuit of public funding for a new stadium, which could have been complicated by trading away the face of the franchise. The funding was signed into law via the state of Ohio’s budget in July, so that potential obstacle to moving Garrett is now gone.
In other words, the Browns could trade Garrett if they want to, but it seems the desire is just not there. Their strategy may be to wait until the end of the season when they can acquire a veteran quarterback or, more likely, target a top prospect in the 2026 draft. That could convince Garrett to stick around, but he may not be willing to trust the franchise after putting his faith in them to build a competitive team this season. It seems possible, if not likely, that he renews his trade request in the offseason in an attempt to play for a championship contender next year.
Trading Garrett could also give the Browns even more draft capital to aggressively pursue a rookie quarterback next spring. They already have two first-round picks after trading down from No. 2 with the Jaguars (who moved up for Travis Hunter), and another could ensure that they can trade for virtually any pick, if it’s available.
I know he desperately wants to be a Steeler, but it’s not going to happen.
Not even TJ Watt looks like he wants to be a Steeler anymore.
If they were going to trade him, it would presumably be in the offseason, not now. IF they trade him, they’d want the biggest bidding war possible, and way fewer teams can make the money work while they’re in season.
The Browns are in great need of at a partial rebuild. Coming into the season, the front office seemed to be the only ones delusional enough to think they had the talent to be competitive. By the time they actually have a successful rebuild, Garrett’s prime will be in the rear view mirror. They should have traded him last offseason for draft capital, but his value is going to diminish, despite his production, because of his age. I love Myles but it would be best for him and the team to part ways at this point. You are correct, however, a wider bidding war would occur during the coming offseason. He’s just got to stay healthy.
The front office clearly didn’t think they would be competitive this year. They’re in progress on that rebuild right now. They went into the season with Joe Flacco at quarterback and they traded down to get a future first. They also had a very good draft class that looks likely to yield four good starters. They need to rebuild the line and almost certainly need a better quarterback answer, but they’ve got some good young talent and a pretty strong group on defense. Other than the part where they’re the Browns, they still need to take a disgusting cap hit on Watson, and we assume they’ve angered the gods at some point and are doomed forever, they’re not in a very bad place for a team in rebuilding mode.
You mentioned Watson, which is appropriate, because until they rid themselves of that contract, and the dead money they’ve kicked down the road, they will not be competitive. If they didn’t think they would be competitive this year, why did they delay this process, and exacerbate the situation by extending Garrett into years when they could actually be competitive and his production and his contract are going in opposite directions? They clearly did think they’d be competitive this season, since Andrew Berry didn’t address the offensive line at all in the past draft, despite the fact the line looked old last year and was clearly the team’s biggest weakness and greatest draft need. Instead, they took two running backs and overdrafted two backup quarterbacks, pieces you take as finishing touches to a nearly-complete team. For all the praise being heaped on Berry for this year’s draft class, supporters are employing the proverbial forest-for-the trees situation. Trading down and getting a #1 from Jacksonville was a good strategy, but probably had more to do with avoiding the risk of drafting Travis Hunter. Jimmy Haslam’s concession that the Watson trade was unsuccessful, while actually being truthful, obfuscated the fact that the offensive line, as well as other areas, are in need of an infusion of considerable talent and youth.
I think getting an extra first next year was just as much about keeping their options open for next year as it was about any Hunter risk. They could easily have taken Carter there anyway. Watson will be cut loose this offseason. I hear you about not taking offensive linemen, but it’s not like day three picks were going to fix that. They weren’t going to fix everything this offseason. I think you can praise a draft even if it doesn’t fix every problem. I also think keeping one of the best players in football is always a defensible move.
I have a hard time conjuring up sympathy for Myles Garrett.
The Rudolph incident proved what a scumbag he is. His whining about his money and about being in Cleveland prove he’s me-first. And yet, he’s one helluva player
I don’t know why anyone would take Rudolph’s side of things, as all we got was randomly a guy with no prior issues or issues since decided to go ballistic. Something happened, and we’ll never know exactly what but no sense picking sides.
No? So the fact that no player, ref or coach heard one word of racist rancor is lost on you, eh? Maybe Rudolph whispered it in his ear
And “went ballistic?” Hitting a defenseless player over the head with a helmet?
Tell you what. Enjoy the milquetoast. I’ll choose a side in this one
“Enjoy the milquetoast???????” Are you planning to copyright that and print it on tee shirts? I understand that it’s easy to assume that Garrett is a “scumbag” for his action on Rudolph, but Garrett has routinely demonstrated himself to be a man of good character. Clearly he was provoked in his situation with Rudolph, because his response was out of character for the person he’s otherwise shown himself to be. Nobody supports him hitting Rudolph, but that was a moment of poor judgement in an otherwise clean career.
“After the game, he strode into his press conference playing Lnyrd Skynyrd’s “A Simple Man” on his phone”.
That must be the B-side of his playlist because the A side song is
♫ We’re in the money
We’re in the money
We got a lot
Of what it takes to get along ♫
Wasn’t he asking for a trade then they gave him all that money and he said how much he loves Cleveland? Now we’re back to him wanting out less than a year later? Make him stay and suffer
Agree, he bought a front row seat for that circus. No refunds.
The Browns should have traded him last offseason. But they were delusional enough to think they would be competitive this season. They should tell him to take the rest of the season off and rest up for 2026 when they trade him to competent team.
Like the writes says, the pursuit of a new stadium probably kept them from a trade. Need someone people want to see in a Browns uniform.