ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, and other reputable sources have repeatedly shut down Myles Garrett trade rumors all offseason. The rumors haven’t been nearly as loud as they were last season when Garrett requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, but people need something to talk about during this time of the NFL calendar, so the rumors persist.
It would be shocking and nonsensical for the Browns to trade their best player at this point, but the only thing that is going to firmly stop these rumors is if the Browns can start winning consistently. No amount of reports from reputable sources will put out this fire, and that fire might get even bigger if the Browns make a certain big move on draft day.
With the sixth overall pick in the coming draft, most pundits have linked the Browns to Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate as an obvious solution for a glaring hole on the roster. ESPN’s Tony Grossi recently said that if top edge-rushing prospect David Bailey somehow makes it to No. 6, that could be a precursor to a Garrett trade.
“If the Browns took [David] Bailey, that’s a tip-off that they have a trade lined up with Myles [Garrett]. Bailey would be the successor to Myles. If they took Bailey, at 12:01 AM on June 2nd, we’d have an announcement about the trade of Myles,” Grossi said.
"If the Browns took Bailey, that's a tip off that they have a trade lined up with Myles," – @TonyGrossi on the Browns and EDGE David Bailey 😯 pic.twitter.com/XldC4Y2MxZ
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 16, 2026
There’s no reason why Bailey and Garrett couldn’t coexist, but the media would obviously have a field day with Garrett trade rumors if this situation were to play out. He is widely regarded as the best pass rusher in this class and most believe he won’t make it out of the top three or four picks.
If he falls to the Browns at No. 6, GM Andrew Berry may have to scrap his original plan and take Bailey simply due to his talent. There are obvious needs at tackle and receiver and the overwhelming sentiment has been that Berry will use his two first-round picks to address those spots, but this team also needs talent regardless of position.
Bailey would immediately have the perfect veteran to learn from and would help turn a great defense into a potentially menacing one. It’s not likely he’ll fall to six, but if he does, it shouldn’t automatically make the Browns want to trade Garrett. He should play alongside Garrett and help him make opposing quarterbacks’ lives difficult for years to come.
NEXT: Carnell Tate Opens Up About His Browns Visit
