The Cleveland Browns may already be at a crossroads before Todd Monken has even made his NFL debut as a head coach. The organization may be trying to decide if playoff contention is a realistic short-term goal, or if it is going to take a few seasons to get things together.
Because of that, the future of Myles Garrett continues to be brought into question. The Browns have to weigh the value of the record-breaking defensive end right now, or what he could do for the future of the franchise if it were to trade him.
Though the Browns reportedly are adamant they are not going to trade Garrett, actions behind the scenes may indicate otherwise. The contract extension he signed last year has been altered to provide that option if desired.
Contract analyst Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac recently said he believes the Browns are “set up” to make a blockbuster trade involving Garrett in the near future.
“A reminder here that the Browns made date changes in each of 2026, 2027, and 2028. So while there appears to be no imminent ‘trade’ pressure here, the contract is now set up to open up that opportunity in the near future,” Ginnitti posted on X.
A reminder here that the Browns made date changes in each of 2026, 2027, and 2028. So while there appears to be no imminent "trade" pressure here, the contract is now setup to open up that opportunity in the near future.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 27, 2026
Last offseason, Garrett publicly requested a trade while in the midst of his contract negotiations. Once that new deal was reached, however, it included a no-trade clause.
That did not put an end to the rumors, which started to pop up again during last season and have resurfaced this offseason. Almost every contending team in the NFL would be interested in the reigning Defensive Player of the Year if he were to be on the market.
The Browns must decide if it is worth keeping Garrett on a team that may not contender for a playoff berth during the next few seasons, or if it is better to get the massive return in a trade to further accelerate the rebuild with young players. Fans may revolt if Garrett is traded just a few months after setting the NFL record for sacks in a season and winning his second DOPY award in three years. However, they also may understand what a trade like that could do for the franchise moving forward.
The Browns must tread carefully and consider all options before potentially making such an earth-shattering move.
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