The Browns’ relationship with Myles Garrett reached a breaking point in early 2025, when the star edge rusher formally asked out of Cleveland after another losing season. His request crystallized long-running tension between his individual dominance and the franchise’s inability to emerge as a consistent contender.
It also pushed the organization into a decisive response that still shapes its future: instead of entertaining offers, the Browns refused to trade their Defensive Player of the Year, then finalized a massive extension to keep him in Northeast Ohio through 2030.
Why Did Myles Garrett Hand a Trade Request?
Garrett’s trade request arrived on the heels of a 5-12 campaign that again left Cleveland outside the playoff picture. The defense finished near the top of the league in yards allowed, and Garrett set an NFL single-season record with 23 sacks, but instability on offense and another coaching reset undercut any hopes of a deep run.
In that context, he made his frustration public and tied his stance directly to his desire to compete for a title.
“As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, and that goal fuels me today more than ever,” Garrett said in his statement.
He continued, “My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man that I am today.”
Garrett added, “While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton; it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Local reporting later confirmed that Cleveland’s front office declined to engage on a deal despite the request. The team instead treated Garrett as a non-negotiable piece of its core, even as it moved on from head coach Kevin Stefanski and reshaped the staff.
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The organization’s stance was that any path back to contention would be built around Garrett rather than accelerated by trading him for picks or younger players.
Browns DE Myles Garrett Has a Host Of Potential Suitors
Once Garrett’s request became public, it immediately sparked speculation about which contenders might try to pry him away. An elite pass rusher coming off a record-setting season would draw interest across the league, and Garrett’s resume already includes multiple All-Pro selections and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Instead of opening the door, Cleveland closed it by moving quickly toward a long-term financial commitment.
Contract data from Spotrac shows that on March 9, 2025, the Browns signed Garrett to a four-year, $160 million extension that runs from 2025 through 2030. The deal averages $40 million per season and includes $123,596,125 in total guarantees, with $88.8 million guaranteed at signing.
The structure also features a full no-trade clause and significant option bonuses that keep his cap numbers high but manageable in the near term while making an exit costly. For 2026 alone, Spotrac lists Garrett’s cash at $31.5 million with a cap hit of $24,674,000 and a dead-cap figure of more than $100 million.
The site’s release and trade calculations underscore how prohibitive a move would be: a pre–June 1 release this year would leave over $100 million in dead money, while even a pre–June 1 trade would carry more than $40 million in dead cap.
Together, the contract and public stance make clear that while Garrett once tried to leverage his value to chase a Super Bowl elsewhere, the Browns responded by betting on him as a long-term pillar rather than a trade chip.
