Myles Garrett requests a trade

[Alphadawg7]

On 2/26/2025 at 11:35 AM, KOKBILLS said:

https://x.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1894810061941158228?s=46&t=D6_BRL42RAr58d3UiwAN1A

 

I don't know... Maybe it's just me... But after Garrett said what he said and did what he did, I have to imagine he's not thrilled with quotes like this. 

 

"He understands the business aspect" 

 

The business of wanting to play on a Championship caliber team? I mean... Maybe Garrett was not being completely honest, who knows? But he was pretty clear that it had nothing to do with money. He also made it pretty clear that he considered what the Browns were proposing as the future plan and was not on board. 

 

Like I said... Maybe it's just me...

 

I mean there is no future plan for Garrett there, not in his timeline of his prime, so there is nothing they can say to him that will matter.  If they cut Watson, their dead cap hit in 2025 is $175M...that makes him impossible to release because they would not be able to field their team.  

 

Not being able to cut Watson means they have to keep him on the roster, and here are his cap hits the next 3 years:

2025 - $73M

2026 - $73M

2027 - $27M

 

They are going to have to keep him this year, and then maybe they will cut him next year and take on $100M in dead cap hit for 2026 to be done with him entering 2027.

 

So the reality is the Browns will not be able to get serious about competing, especially in their division, until at least 2027 when Garret will be 31 going on 32.  And that is assuming they do great drafting these next 2 years and execute the rebuild at a high level...something of a stretch to see this regime do.  

 

When it comes to the "plan", there is no plan they can share with Garrett that has a silver lining.  He is setup to keep losing for the next 2 years and hope this team hits a bunch of homeruns, especially in a young QB who would be going on their 2nd or 3rd season only, that can magically turn this team into a contender for the last good season or two of Garretts career.  Mind you, Lamar, Burrow, Mahomes, and Allen will all still be in their primes at this stage of guys the Browns will have to be able to get by, not to mention any others that reach contender status in that timeline.  

 

Garret isn't going to budge, he isn't signing up for losing out the rest of his career as a bottom feeding team as the franchise dies a slow death from Watsons contract until it can try to start a new.

[BuffaloRebound]

5 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

I keep saying this...IF the Browns trade him, they will have no interest in Rousseau or any other players back.  Their cap is destroyed for 3 years with the first 2 being franchise crippling all over Watson's contract.  They are going to want draft capital to find young players for the a tear it down to the ground full rebuild that will take at least a year longer than normal because of the Watson contract.  They are not going to be concerned with trying to win this year, they are not looking to add players who have big deals coming up soon.  

 

They are not going to want Rousseau, Cook, etc that people keep throwing into these trades.  

I disagree.  Cleveland will take a QB at pick 2 and have a cost controlled QB to offset the Watson contract.  I get why Garrett doesn’t want to bet the next few years of his prime on a rookie QB, but if Cleveland hits on the QB pick plus the draft haul from garrett trade, they could get past the watson contract sooner than you think and Rousseau resets their timeline at defensive end.  

[Don Otreply]

On 2/3/2025 at 11:11 AM, GunnerBill said:

You gotta make the call and test it out.

True enough, but I suspect the odds are pretty small we trade for him, jmo.

[Roundybout]

On 2/27/2025 at 4:36 PM, Virgil said:

I'm not normally a fan of players forcing their way out, but the Browns is such a dysfunctional organization that I can respect it here.  When he signed his extension, the Browns had a solid looking team on paper and we all know how that worked out.  (Seriously, can you think of worse underperforming teams on paper than the Jets and Browns in recent years).  

 

Granted, I want this to work out for the Bills and I can honestly say there is no trade too high that would upset me for Garrett.  When our GM comes out and says that gamewreckers don't just become available, and then one does, then we have to pull out all the stops.  

It all came down to quarterback. If the Browns got Kirk Cousins instead of the creepy sex pervert, they’d probably be in the AFC Championship at least a couple of times. 

[T.E.]

19 hours ago, GaryPinC said:

Other than the altercation with Mason Rudolph a few years ago, Myles seems to be a very high character person.

Sorry, but "very high-character" people don't try to bludgeon another person with a football helmet and then subsequently try to ruin the other person's career and life by lying about them using a racial slur.

[BillsDad51]

6 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

I mean there is no future plan for Garrett there, not in his timeline of his prime, so there is nothing they can say to him that will matter.  If they cut Watson, their dead cap hit in 2025 is $175M...that makes him impossible to release because they would not be able to field their team.  

 

Not being able to cut Watson means they have to keep him on the roster, and here are his cap hits the next 3 years:

2025 - $73M

2026 - $73M

2027 - $27M

 

They are going to have to keep him this year, and then maybe they will cut him next year and take on $100M in dead cap hit for 2026 to be done with him entering 2027.

 

So the reality is the Browns will not be able to get serious about competing, especially in their division, until at least 2027 when Garret will be 31 going on 32.  And that is assuming they do great drafting these next 2 years and execute the rebuild at a high level...something of a stretch to see this regime do.  

 

When it comes to the "plan", there is no plan they can share with Garrett that has a silver lining.  He is setup to keep losing for the next 2 years and hope this team hits a bunch of homeruns, especially in a young QB who would be going on their 2nd or 3rd season only, that can magically turn this team into a contender for the last good season or two of Garretts career.  Mind you, Lamar, Burrow, Mahomes, and Allen will all still be in their primes at this stage of guys the Browns will have to be able to get by, not to mention any others that reach contender status in that timeline.  

 

Garret isn't going to budge, he isn't signing up for losing out the rest of his career as a bottom feeding team as the franchise dies a slow death from Watsons contract until it can try to start a new.

I read on the Athletic a couple of weeks ago that trading or cutting Garrett before June 1 hits Browns with an additional $36M dead cap hit this year. That would cripple Browns with $109M cap hit for 2 players in 2025. 

[Kirby Jackson]

7 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

I keep saying this...IF the Browns trade him, they will have no interest in Rousseau or any other players back.  Their cap is destroyed for 3 years with the first 2 being franchise crippling all over Watson's contract.  They are going to want draft capital to find young players for the a tear it down to the ground full rebuild that will take at least a year longer than normal because of the Watson contract.  They are not going to be concerned with trying to win this year, they are not looking to add players who have big deals coming up soon.  

 

They are not going to want Rousseau, Cook, etc that people keep throwing into these trades.  

Rousseau wouldn’t really start hitting the cap until next year when they’ll eat the Watson dead money. By 2027 they COULD have loads of cap space (at least I think). If they think he’s a really good player, why wouldn’t they want him? He will be like 25 or 26 at that point so he IS on the timeline. Garrett will be 31 at that point. I’m not saying that they definitely will want him but there is logic behind it. 2 firsts and a good, young, starting defensive end is not insulting. 

[Augie]

35 minutes ago, BillsDad51 said:

I read on the Athletic a couple of weeks ago that trading or cutting Garrett before June 1 hits Browns with an additional $36M dead cap hit this year. That would cripple Browns with $109M cap hit for 2 players in 2025. 

 

I wish the Mods here had the power to go beyond timeouts and permabans. If you misbehave beyond a certain level you should be banished to the Browns (sparsely occupied) bandwagon for a while. That would be a powerful tool to keep people on the right path! 

[julian]

2 hours ago, T.E. said:

Sorry, but "very high-character" people don't try to bludgeon another person with a football helmet and then subsequently try to ruin the other person's career and life by lying about them using a racial slur.

Yeah that was bizarre behaviour, to be as charitable as possible to Garrett. I need some pass rush so badly that I’m willing to forgive his past poor decisions in that particular incident, because I want to win and I’m desperate.

[T.E.]

27 minutes ago, julian said:

Yeah that was bizarre behaviour, to be as charitable as possible to Garrett. I need some pass rush so badly that I’m willing to forgive his past poor decisions in that particular incident, because I want to win and I’m desperate.

I'm not passing too much judgment. I was excited about the Antonio Brown trade when it was initially reported haha.

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Rousseau wouldn’t really start hitting the cap until next year when they’ll eat the Watson dead money. By 2027 they COULD have loads of cap space (at least I think). If they think he’s a really good player, why wouldn’t they want him? He will be like 25 or 26 at that point so he IS on the timeline. Garrett will be 31 at that point. I’m not saying that they definitely will want him but there is logic behind it. 2 firsts and a good, young, starting defensive end is not insulting. 

They won’t be able to pay him next year.  This draft is also strong all along the DL, and Rousseau isn’t exactly the next Myles Garret.  They are going to have $100M dead cap in 2026

2 hours ago, BillsDad51 said:

I read on the Athletic a couple of weeks ago that trading or cutting Garrett before June 1 hits Browns with an additional $36M dead cap hit this year. That would cripple Browns with $109M cap hit for 2 players in 2025. 

They are already crippled on the cap, and they will have $100m dead cap next year too.  It’s in their best interest to just take it this year too and stock pile draft picks and lose so their own picks are better the next 2 seasons.  Which is why they won’t be taking back players with contracts or due big contracts 

[ColoradoBills]

14 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

They won’t be able to pay him next year.  This draft is also strong all along the DL, and Rousseau isn’t exactly the next Myles Garret.  They are going to have $100M dead cap in 2026

They are already crippled on the cap, and they will have $100m dead cap next year too.  It’s in their best interest to just take it this year too and stock pile draft picks and lose so their own picks are better the next 2 seasons.  Which is why they won’t be taking back players with contracts or due big contracts 

 

Agree, next year they have a bunch of over 30-year-old players going to FA with that $100M cap hit.

They will need to roll out of those old guys.

 

As each day goes by, and we hear no real effort on the Brown's part about a Garrett trade it just makes my point about

a post June 1st trade more possible.  Browns don't need the picks this year.  They already have 13 of them.

They sure could use some picks next year after they have to move on from all these vets.

 

I think most don't see how bad their situation is.  Here are their current 2026 numbers.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/cap/_/year/2026/sort/cap_total

[MikePJ76]

Diania Russini on Myles Garrett to Philly.

 

Myles Garrett’s potential path to Philly

 

The pass rusher market will be one to monitor. Garrett has publicly requested a trade from Cleveland, while Maxx Crosby, Trey Hendrickson, T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons are all eyeing fresh deals.

Seventeen of the top 20 highest AAV contracts in the league belong to quarterbacks; wide receiver Justin Jefferson, pass rusher Nick Bosa and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb hold the other three spots. Don’t be surprised to see shuffling as those premier sack artists cash in — with their current teams or elsewhere.

 

On Garrett, the Browns have remained consistent since his trade request went public six days before the Super Bowl: They are not listening to offers. If the Browns change their minds, I expect movement to happen as the draft nears and Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has to make tough roster decisions.

I’m told the Philadelphia Eagles’ interest in Garrett is real. As fearsome as Philly’s defense was in the Super Bowl, imagine adding the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year?

 

“Garrett could be this year’s version of Saquon Barkley for Howie [Roseman],” one NFL GM said. “He’s an impact add and isn’t a free-agent overpay. Howie’s not afraid to try stuff, and it fits where they are as a team.”

How would the Eagles come up with room to fit Garrett? By letting some key members of their Super Bowl-winning group walk. Linebacker Zack Baun was a free-agent gem Roseman found last offseason, but he is now poised to cash in. Baun, edge rusher Josh Sweat, DT Milton Williams and guard Mekhi Becton headline Philly’s free agent class, and bringing all or even some of them back could prove challenging, especially if Garrett enters the picture — and you can be certain Roseman will have Philly in the conversation for Garrett.

[3rdand12]

5 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Rousseau wouldn’t really start hitting the cap until next year when they’ll eat the Watson dead money. By 2027 they COULD have loads of cap space (at least I think). If they think he’s a really good player, why wouldn’t they want him? He will be like 25 or 26 at that point so he IS on the timeline. Garrett will be 31 at that point. I’m not saying that they definitely will want him but there is logic behind it. 2 firsts and a good, young, starting defensive end is not insulting. 

AJ is young too

[nosejob]

On 2/24/2025 at 7:12 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea typo. Should have been "isn't" getting a first.

No way would I sit and wait for him to be cut. Long gone by then.

[GunnerBill]

11 minutes ago, nosejob said:

No way would I sit and wait for him to be cut. Long gone by then.

 

That's fine. But sending a 1st for him would be mad.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

No Bill has worn #95 since Kyle Williams. Correct?

 

[BillsFanForever19]

5 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

They are already crippled on the cap, and they will have $100m dead cap next year too.  It’s in their best interest to just take it this year too and stock pile draft picks and lose so their own picks are better the next 2 seasons.  Which is why they won’t be taking back players with contracts or due big contracts 

 

It's always funny to me how our cap situation holds little meaning to posters when it comes to acquiring players but when it comes to other teams needing to make players available to us - the cap becomes very important. 

Edited March 1 by BillsFanForever19

[nosejob]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

That's fine. But sending a 1st for him would be mad.

Are you kidding me? If they said tomorrow he's on the block, we would have to pony up. Joe B is gonna make sure Chase and Higgins get paid first, after that Trey.

Can we get in there and deal? There will be a bidding war. Get it done 1st...BB

[jethro_tull]

Bengals brass are signaling they want to keep him.