Myles Garrett Trade Drama Escalates as Owner Jimmy Haslam Refuses to Engage

Myles Garrett is done with the Cleveland Browns. Earlier this year, the star pass rusher requested a trade from the team. Fans and analysts started to cook up the best destinations and what the package could potentially be. Unfortunately, a trade is not up to the player. Owners have to sign off on any deal, and Browns owner Jimmy Haslem doesn’t want to let his best player go. The drama has escalated as a recent report indicated Haslem is refusing to speak with his star player about the trade request.

Jimmy Haslem Refuses To Speak With Myles Garrett

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Myles Garrett recently requested a meeting with the owner. Sources say Jimmy Haslem declined amidst the trade request. The owner directed him to speak with general manager Andrew Berry about the situation. It seems both sides are dug in. Garrett is determined to be traded to a contender, while the Browns have no interest in even entertaining offers. The team declined to comment when a statement was requested.

It isn’t hard to see why Cleveland wants to keep him around. In eight seasons, he has amassed 102.5 sacks, 352 total tackles, 17 passes defended, and 20 forced fumbles. He has been named an All-Pro six times, four of the being first-team nods. He also won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and consistently is in the top three of the voting. However, Myles Garrett has a point as well. The team has only fielded two winning seasons during his tenure, and he has constantly made poor decisions that set the team back.

Trade Him For Goodness’ Sake!

Listen, I get it. Trading your best player hurts. Myles Garrett isn’t just your best player. He is one of the best players in the entire league. This is why the Browns need to trade him. They should take a lesson from their failed trades. The Deshaun Watson trade continues to be one of the worst trades in NFL history, but it was great for one franchise: the Houston Texans. Here is what the Texans were able to do with all those picks. 

• 2022 first-round pick (OG Kenyon Green)
• 2022 fourth-round pick (RB Dameon Pierce)
• 2023 first-round pick (DE Will Anderson Jr.)
• 2023 third-round pick (WR Tank Dell)
• 2024 first-round pick (CB Kamari Lassiter and LB Jamal Hill)
• 2024 fourth-round pick (S Calen Bullock)

They were able to completely remake their team, and now they are among the best teams in the conference. Cleveland could get a similar haul for Myles Garrett. The situation looks bleak right now, but if they were to acquire a war chest of picks, it could catapult their franchise to winning faster than anyone expected.

Final Thoughts

The Cleveland Browns should learn from their own mistake. It usually is bad business to trade a player like Garrett, but in this case, it is the best way forward for both sides. The NFL offseason is always full of juicy storylines but this one is sure to be drama-filled until the very end.