Myles Garrett, the NFL‘s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, made a statement Monday requesting a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
“As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl – and that goal fuels me today more than ever,” Garrett wrote in a statement. “My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man I am today.
“While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl.
“With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Garrett’s future in Cleveland had long been speculated after he’d made comments asking about the team’s offseason plans following their 3-14 regular season. In late December, he was also quoted saying he didn’t want to endure another rebuild in Cleveland.
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Garrett has already endured six losing seasons in eight years with the franchise, including an 0-16 season during his rookie year. They’ve finished either third or fourth in the AFC North in all but one season since drafting Garrett first overall.
Things in Cleveland were expected to improve after the team traded for Deshaun Watson ahead of the 2022 season, but the team actually performed better in 2023 with Joe Flacco at the helm. When Watson returned in 2024, the team fell back down draft boards and will head into the 2025 NFL draft with the second overall pick.
All that is to say that Garrett has paid his dues. He’s been part of some atrocious Browns teams and he wants to compete for a championship before he retires. However, given his status as one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, a trade for Garrett won’t come cheap. It’ll cost a franchise a lot of draft capital and money to get it done, but the payoff could be tremendous. Here’s what his contract looks like.
NFL News:Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett requests trade from team heading into offseason
Myles Garrett contract details
Garrett has two years remaining on his five-year, $125 million deal. His cap hit in 2025 will be over $19 million, while his hit in 2026 will be over $20 million.
Of course, any trade for Garrett could come with a massive extension attached to it. Garrett is entering his age-30 season next year and still offers a lot to a defense. In 2024, he earned 14 sacks, second-most in the league, en route to his fourth First Team All-Pro selection in the last five years.
Since entering the league in 2017, only T.J. Watt has more sacks (108) than Garrett’s 102.5.
What would a Myles Garrett extension look like?
Although Myles Garrett is about to cross the age-30 threshold, he would still command a hefty price. San Francisco’s Nick Bosa holds the distinction of the largest edge rusher contract in NFL history at five years, $170 million. That’s an average annual value (AAV) of $35 million.
While Garrett’s age could convince a team to give him slightly less than Bosa’s AAV, Garrett’s production speaks for itself and it would not be shocking to see him outearn Bosa.
When can Garrett be traded?
As of right now, no trades can be made. However, when the league’s new year begins on March 12, 2025, teams will be able to start trading. Teams can discuss trades and even agree upon terms prior to March 12, but no deals can be official until the start of the new year.
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