The Cleveland Browns have two distinct paths they can travel this offseason — continue trying to win now or execute a mini-teardown and sacrifice a year or two to that cause.
The first path would represent sticking to the same course over the past three seasons, which has resulted in just one trip to the playoffs and zero postseason victories. The second course would likely mean drafting either quarterback Shedeur Sanders of Colorado or Cam Ward of Miami with the No. 2 pick and potentially trading multiple expensive stars on the defensive side of the football, including edge rusher Myles Garrett.
Garrett has made clear in recent weeks that he is not interested in a rebuild and will ask out of Cleveland if the team can’t outline a path to immediate contention, more or less.
Anthony Licciardi of Athlon Sports authored a trade pitch on Thursday, January 9, in which the Browns flip Garrett to the Dallas Cowboys for first-round picks and second-round picks in both 2026 and 2027.
As part of that proposal, Cleveland would trade Garrett to Dallas as a post-June 1 designation, saving the team nearly $36 million total in dead cap hits over the next four years.
Browns Should Take Long View in Any Trade of Myles Garrett
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Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett.
The proposal Licciardi outlined is the longer-term play, as it brings back better overall value and saves the Browns considerably more money than a trade that takes place ahead of the draft in late April.
A more immediately gratifying and pricier deal Licciardi laid out would involve the Browns moving Garrett for first- and second-round picks this year (Nos. 12 and 44) along with a first-rounder and a fourth-rounder in 2026.
That would obviously help Cleveland be more competitive in 2025, though if the team is moving on from the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and transitioning to a rookie quarterback at the same time, making moves to try and be as good as possible next season may be futile. That is doubly true given the extra cost the Browns would incur on the dead cap years of Garrett’s contract.
Browns May Trade Cornerback Denzel Ward This Offseason
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Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward.
Benjamin Solak of ESPN would probably endorse a post-trade deal, as his bold prediction for Cleveland’s offseason involves moving on from three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward who, like Garrett, is playing on a nine-figure deal.
“With no contending future in sight, I expect the Browns to trade players for picks,” Solak wrote on January 6. “For my money, I expect a young, rising team to put a first-round pick on the table for Ward (Packers? Vikings?) and give the Browns the draft capital they need to aggressively rebuild.”
If Cleveland moves on from Ward, the team would likely elevate Greg Newsome II back into a starting role alongside Martin Emerson Jr. Either the Packers or Vikings could provide the Browns with a late first-rounder in 2025 to go along with the two first and two seconds they would get from the Cowboys in 2026 and 2027 for Garrett.
This hypothetical represents a monster overhaul for Cleveland, moving on from arguably its top two defenders. That said, bringing back three first-rounders and two second-rounders over the next three drafts is excellent compensation, while simultaneously peeling off a ton of salary over the next few years.
