The Cleveland Browns reworked two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett’s contract, making a potential trade significantly easier. While the move opens the door on paper, dealing one of the franchise’s most irreplaceable stars still feels like a step too far, even as Garrett finds himself in trade speculation for the second straight offseason.
Analyst Jason Cabinda Admits ‘Nobody Is Safe’ in the NFL, Maybe Myles Garrett
That discussion was summed up by former Detroit Lions fullback Jason Cabinda on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, who acknowledged the harsh realities of the NFL while stating that players like Garrett exist in a different category altogether.
“I know when we start adjusting contracts and us as players, we understand the business. We even say between us as players when we’re in the building, absolutely nobody is safe,” Cabinda said.
“You can be very good and have a great season, and that makes you tradable because now your value is up. You can have a bad season, and now you’re not safe because they want to get you out of the building,” he added.
That’s a reality in modern NFL, where roster calls are driven more by finances and numbers. However, Garrett isn’t just another name on the roster.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is widely viewed as a generational talent — an “absolute alien,” as Cabinda and many others put it, whose presence anchors the Browns’ identity on defense.
“At the end of the day, I think that Myles Garrett is probably going to go down for all of us as players, the best ever at the defensive end positions due to the freak, absolute alien.”
“If I’m a GM owner or coach, I would never, ever let Myles Garrett leave my building and I don’t think he will be leaving Cleveland’s building at all, but it’s worth asking the questions,” Cabinda noted.
The Browns Quietly Made Garrett Trade Possible With Contract Adjustment
The Browns may not have publicly signaled any intent to move Garrett, but their recent contract tweak makes the story more nuanced.
Last year, Cleveland managed to keep Garrett even after he requested a trade out, following his signing of a four-year, $160 million extension. By pushing key bonus payments further into the calendar, Cleveland has created a scenario in which it wouldn’t be obligated to pay those funds if Garrett is no longer on the roster by the start of the season.
By winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in the first season of his new deal after a single-season record of 23 sacks, his trade value is at its highest. Interestingly, that also makes him easily tradable.
Before the change, trading Garrett before June 1 would have resulted in a massive $70.3 million dead cap hit — effectively eliminating any realistic chance of a deal. Now, that figure drops to approximately $41.09 million.
This change is favorable for the Browns. Previously, Cleveland would have taken on $21.4 million in 2026 and around $48.7 million in 2027. Under the reworked contract structure, those numbers fall to about $15.53 million and $25.56 million.
That makes Garrett go from an untradeable player to, at the very least, a financially movable star. Additionally, instead of being limited to a narrow offseason window, the Browns now have until just before the regular season to evaluate offers.
That could be crucial, especially around the NFL Draft or when teams gain additional cap space after June 1.
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Ultimately, the possibility of a trade still feels unlikely. Garrett is the cornerstone of Cleveland’s identity. Coming off a dominant season, where he was ranked first in PFN’s 2025 EDGE Impact ranking, his value is arguably at its peak, both on the field and in the locker room.
While they say that nobody is truly untouchable in the NFL, in practice, some players come close, and Garrett appears to be one of them.
