As recently as this past Sunday, All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett made it clear he wants the Cleveland Browns to trade him to a contender because he doesn't feel "like our future is aligned with winning right now."
Nevertheless, individuals who cover the Browns such as Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer remain convinced that the club will be able to hold onto Garrett through at least the 2025 season.
"In the end," Pluto wrote about Garrett for a piece published Tuesday, "I believe he stays in Cleveland with a new deal, making him the highest-paid defensive player. But it will be a long, ugly process."
The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer are among those who have pointed out since Garrett went public with his trade request on Feb. 3 that the club is willing to play "hardball" and likely won't agree to any Garrett-related trade before the new league year opens on March 12.
While Garrett hinted during the numerous media appearances he made throughout Super Bowl week that the Browns are essentially punting on next season, Cabot said on Monday that Cleveland intends "to get back to winning in 2025 with good quarterback play and some other key pieces."
It's unknown exactly where Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski will find this improved quarterback play with Deshaun Watson likely sidelined through the end of his Cleveland tenure. Cabot noted on Tuesday that Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons "is on the Browns' radar," but it seems Garrett isn't overly encouraged about the thought of Cleveland starting a veteran who turns 37 years old in August and who lost his QB1 job to 2024 first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. in December.
The Browns could also spend the second pick of the upcoming draft on either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders after Jayden Daniels helped the 2024 Washington Commanders reach the NFC Championship Game as a rookie signal-caller.
Regardless of what Garrett feels about Cleveland's quarterback situation, the fact remains that the one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is under contract through the 2026 season and, thus, can't do much to force a trade.
"The Browns have told Garrett they’ll make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player with a new deal," Pluto added in his latest article. "...He can refuse to report to the mandatory minicamps and, later, the regular training camp. He can sit at home when the season opens. That also leads to not being paid and also being fined."
If nothing else, it certainly appears the Browns want outsiders to know they plan on assembling a roster for 2025 that will feature Garrett as its top defensive star. Perhaps such messages are meant to show Berry will only accept a so-called "'Godfather' offer" for Garrett over the next couple of months.
