The trade of Myles Garrett by the Cleveland Browns is being taken as a strong indicator that the team may have its eyes on the future rather than the present. Although newcomer Jared Verse should be able to prevent a significant dropoff on defense, the Browns aren’t expected to be as successful this season as they would have been had they held on to the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
The Browns also will experience a few more growing pains, as their 10-man 2026 NFL Draft class adapts to the rigors of life in the league. In addition, their standout 2025 class needs to avoid a “sophomore slump.”
Cleveland acquired three draft picks in the Garrett trade with the Los Angeles Rams, including a first-round selection in 2027. With so many signs pointing ahead and not back, it’s easy to speculate that other veterans may soon be heading out the door as well.
Insider Tony Grossi is suggesting that the Browns could move on from two key defenders, cornerback Denzel Ward and safety Grant Delpit.
“Ward, 29, and Delpit, 27, could be trade chips if [Andrew] Berry doubts they are part of the team’s future. Ward has two years on his contract; Delpit is in the final year of his. Both players could be part of the future, or could not be,” Grossi wrote.
Despite his expressed desire to stay, Ward’s future with the team has been in doubt for some time, with offseason speculation suggesting that he could have been released this offseason as a salary cap measure. Instead, the Browns reworked Ward’s contract to save some money, but now that Garrett is gone, rumors of a potential trade of the valuable five-time Pro Bowler have cropped up again.
The Browns may have hinted at their intentions for Delpit by trading up to select safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round of the 2026 draft. If they see that the rookie can continue to impress during the season, Cleveland could explore trading Delpit before the deadline to get something for him before he hits the open market as a free agent.
Safety Ronnie Hickman can also become a free agent after this season, so it’s clear that the Browns’ secondary will be in flux, if not during this season, then certainly during next offseason.
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