Myles Garrett Eyes Super Bowl Ring: Is a Cleveland Exit Imminent?

BEREA, Ohio — Myles Garrett just finished the most dominant individual defensive season in NFL history. He logged an unthinkable 23 sacks in 2025, shattering the previous record and securing his second Defensive Player of the Year award. But while his trophy case is full, his postseason schedule remains empty. The Cleveland Browns finished a brutal 5-12 campaign, and Garrett is finally signaling that his patience has a limit.

The Record-Breaker Without a Ring

Garrett didn’t just play; he hunted. His 23-sack run included a five-sack masterclass against the Patriots in Week 8 that left the league in awe. He added 33 tackles for loss and 39 quarterback hits, numbers that cemented his status as the premier defender of his generation. Despite this, Cleveland’s season collapsed under the weight of a stagnant offense and a defense that couldn’t overcome a league-high turnover margin. The team fired Kevin Stefanski in January, replacing him with former Ravens architect Todd Monken, but the roster remains in flux.

The disconnect between Garrett’s prime and the team’s rebuilding timeline is reaching a breaking point. While the Browns hold the No. 6 and No. 24 picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, a rookie infusion might not be fast enough for a 30-year-old superstar looking for a legacy-defining Super Bowl MVP.

“A Super Bowl would be great. That’s the way I always wanted my career to go. I’m happy with what I’ve done, but I’m not satisfied. Right now, I’m just taking it day by day. We’ll see what happens with the offseason and going into next year.”
— Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns DE

The Trade Market and 2026 Stakes

Garrett’s “day by day” comments have sent shockwaves through the league’s front offices. Rumors are already heating up regarding a potential blockbuster trade. The Detroit Lions are reportedly weighing a package centered around All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to pair Garrett with Aidan Hutchinson. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks, armed with nearly $58 million in cap space, are viewed as a dark horse that could offer the draft capital Cleveland needs to jumpstart their Monken-led rebuild.

For the Browns, the choice is stark: spend the No. 6 pick on a blue-chip defender like Mason Graham (who they took in 2025) to help Garrett, or capitalize on his historic value to fix a broken offense. If Cleveland doesn’t show a clear path to January football by the trade deadline, the greatest defender in franchise history might be wearing different colors before the 2026 season concludes.