Beat writer discusses if Browns should trade Myles Garrett before 2025 draft

There has been a lot of talk since Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett requested a trade, including speculation on whether the team will trade him to a Super Bowl contender before the 2025 season begins. However, one element of these discussions that has been overlooked is whether the Browns should consider parting ways with Garrett this offseason.

During the latest edition of "The Athletic Football Show," Browns beat writer Zac Jackson explained why he "would trade" Garrett sooner rather than later. 

"They don’t want to trade Garrett," Jackson said about a Browns team that finished last season at 3-14, "but I think Garrett has made up his mind. The path forward for this team is to maximize that. I don’t know whether they’ll get two [first-round draft picks], but I know they’ll get a package of picks and potentially a young player — they need both. They need to move forward. If they wait until after June 1 to lessen this cap hit (the Browns would save $4.96M in that case) and push for the future, I’m fine with that."

The Browns and Garrett seem headed toward what could become an ugly standoff. At the NFL Scouting Combine this week, general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski strongly suggested that no trade is imminent. It was reported Thursday that "Garrett and his camp have slammed the door shut on negotiations" with the Browns regarding a restructured contract that would make him the league's highest-paid defensive player. 

Garrett is signed through the 2026 season via a deal that doesn't include a no-trade clause.

The Browns are believed to be looking for "at least two first-round picks" in return for Garrett. While people within the organization have publicly said they think the team is a quarterback away from competing for a playoff spot next season, Jackson noted that such individuals know Cleveland is "not ready" to hang with the best of the best but are "going to pretend, and they’re going to put out that they are." 

"Ideally, the Browns are entertaining offers here," Jackson added. "The timing is on their side and they have the leverage in some respect because they can say, 'Hey, this is going to kill us. This is a generational player so you have to up the ante.' ...It doesn’t have to be before (the free-agent negotiating window opens on) March 10. But there’s a case to be made...for doing it sometime in these next two weeks."

It remains to be seen if a club that fell short of a Super Bowl berth this winter, such as the Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers or Buffalo Bills, will submit a so-called "'Godfather' offer" for Garrett's services that Berry can't refuse before the draft gets underway on April 24.