If the Cleveland Browns decide to fully head into a rebuild this offseason, trading anyone shouldn’t be off the table. While moving a player like Myles Garrett is never what a team wants to do, the Browns could show their appreciation for him by trading him to a contending team.
Whatever the Browns do with Garrett will likely be his decision. If the future Hall of Famer doesn’t mind staying in a rebuilding situation, the Browns don’t have to move him.
However, it’s tough to see why a competitor like Garrett wouldn’t want to win unless he loves Cleveland that much, which is possible.
In any trade, the Browns would get a massive haul in return. SB Nation’s Marc Delucchi proposed a trade that would send him to the San Francisco 49ers for two first-round picks and more.
49ers would get: Garrett
Browns would get: Leonard Floyd, 2025 first-round pick, future first-round pick
“The 49ers are currently projected to have the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which would presumably be the centerpiece of any deal for Garrett. It’s rare for a team with such a win-now perspective to have a pick that high.
“Add in Floyd’s reasonable contract, and they may also be able to offer Cleveland a top-15 pick, a solid starting edge rusher on a reasonable deal, and a future first-round pick for Garrett. That would seem like a hard package for other teams to top,” Delucchi wrote on December 26.
Garrett Put Pressure on Browns Front Office
The Cleveland Browns’ struggles during Garret’s time with the team haven’t been his fault. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, and has an AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.
He’s shown up every week ready to play for the Browns despite all the setbacks and rough play the team has dealt with.
But even the best players in franchise history get frustrated with losing. Garrett seems to be getting tired of everything going on, telling reporters in December that he wants to win.
“I mean first of all I want to win. I want the Browns to be able to put me and us in position to win. I’m not trying to rebuild,” said Garrett, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I want that to be apparent, when the season’s over and we have those discussions, I want them to be able to illuminate that for me, illustrate that for me, so that can be something that I can see in the near future.”
Garrett added that he’s “going to stay loyal” to the Browns after they showed him loyalty, but his initial comments were concerning.
“I’m going to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me. But we have to do, at the end of the day, what’s best for us. So if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future, winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there, having a time of possession, running-game offense,” Garrett said.
Will the Browns Trade Garrett?
The Cleveland Browns aren’t in a position to make any significant additions due to their cap situation. According to Over the Cap, they’re $17,362,572 over the cap for 2025.
Given they can’t make many meaningful moves, trading Garrett might be the right thing to do. The Browns, barring anything drastic, won’t be able to put together a Super Bowl roster next season.
If they plan to rebuild, getting as many picks back should be the plan.
Garrett would help with that.
