Myles Garrett delivered a historic performance on Sunday, recording a franchise-record five sacks in a demoralizing loss to the New England Patriots. Yet despite the individual dominance, the star edge rusher walked off the field visibly frustrated, and for good reason. Cleveland’s roster, as currently constructed, looks nowhere near contention.
The Browns insist they won’t move Garrett, and the former No. 1 overall pick has expressed no desire to leave. But after another ugly defeat exposed just how broken this team is, a bold question is now impossible to ignore: Should Cleveland trade its most valuable asset, just months after handing him a $160 million contract?
According to NFL insider Albert Breer… the answer might be yes.
Albert Breer Believes Trading Myles Garrett Could Save the Browns
Garrett signed a record-breaking contract with the Browns ahead of the 2025 NFL season. His four-year extension is worth $160 million, and he became the first non-quarterback ever to sign a deal worth at least $40 million in AAV. He’s more than lived up to it, leading the league with 10 sacks through eight games while ranking seventh in PFSN’s EDGE Impact metric.
But with Cleveland’s roster clearly far from contention, many around the league believe this may be the moment to move Garrett while his value is at its absolute peak and replenish the organization with premium draft capital.
Breer pointed to the Browns’ exciting rookie class, headlined by Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins, and Harold Fannin Jr., as evidence that a young foundation is already forming. Adding a massive haul of future picks could accelerate that rebuild dramatically.
“Now is the time to lean into their strategy,” he said about building through the draft. “For argument’s sake, let’s say the Browns could get two first-round picks, a 2026 second-round pick, and a ’27 third-round pick for Garrett. In that scenario, Cleveland would have three first-round picks and two second-rounders in ’26, and a total of 10 picks in the first five rounds, and two first-rounders and five picks in the first three rounds of the ’27 draft.”
“Add that to the core the Browns are starting to build with the 2025 class, and they’re looking at an opportunity to be firing on all cylinders by ’27 or ’28.”
The Browns have yet to answer their ongoing questions at quarterback, with rookie Dillon Gabriel unimpressive so far and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders still waiting for his opportunity. Breer pointed to this as one of the primary reasons Cleveland will likely struggle to contend in the near future.
As an example, he referenced the Patriots, who bottomed out at the right time and landed Drake Maye to ignite their rebuild. If a similar script plays out in Cleveland, the Browns would be perfectly positioned for that hypothetical quarterback’s second season in 2027.
“So, in the midst of a lost season, this would be the time to make the move,” he added. “Garrett’s still at the top of his game. There’d be a big market for him, with a contract that’s relatively manageable with his bonus money paid out (his base salary for the rest of the year is at the veteran minimum, and he’s due $73.2 million over the next two years).”
“Yes, there’d be a cap acceleration that’d be tough to swallow (around $45 million) for Cleveland, but if there’s a time to take that sort of medicine, I’d argue that it’s probably now.”
Breer also cited the Seattle Seahawks’ decision to trade Russell Wilson in 2022, which returned first-and second-round picks in both 2022 and 2023, plus a fifth-rounder in 2022, along with Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, and Drew Lock in exchange for Wilson and a 2022 fourth-rounder.
The Seahawks used that draft capital to accelerate their rebuild, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba headlining the haul. He currently leads the NFL in receiving yards through eight games, and Seattle sits atop the NFC West. If the Browns can secure a similar package for Garrett, Breer believes they would be perfectly positioned to peak in 2027.
