Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett is awaiting word on the Defensive Player of the Year Award, hoping to win it again. He won the award last year and has a good chance of claiming the title in back-to-back years. The odds of that happening are much higher than the chances of the Browns trading him, Cleveland GM Andrew Berry suggests.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Berry affirmed that the Browns are not even listening to calls about Myles Garrett. Asked if they would say they’re not interested if a team offered two first-round picks, he responded, “Correct. You can put that on the record”.
During the 2024 season, Garrett became the youngest player to reach 100 career sacks. He took a few more career games than T.J. Watt, but he got there at a younger age. Of course, he accomplished this in a hopeless, losing season for the Browns, his efforts achieving little.
It amounted to so little, in fact, that Garrett reportedly approached the organization for an action plan moving forward. Tired of the Browns’ losing ways, he wanted to see a concrete plan for how they would improve their lot. Presumably, the implication was he would push for a trade if they couldn’t make him believe they are sincerely trying to win.
Many teams on the bottom will typically trade prized resources like a Myles Garrett in a rebuilding mode. It’s hard to call the Browns a franchise in rebuilding mode, though, when there is nothing they are rebuilding. It’s more like a new highway that is perpetually under construction and never actually goes anywhere.
Garrett is one of the few players Browns fans can actually respect. Following the reports of his would-be ultimatum, it seemed as though many were preparing themselves for his potential departure. It appears the Browns managed to convince him of their vision, though, and that their partnership will continue.
“We feel really good about Myles [Garrett] obviously as a big piece of our future”, Berry said. “We envision him going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over”.
He added that Browns reporters can assume they are planning to do a third contract with him. Myles Garrett is entering the final year of his current deal, so is due for an extension. That new extension will likely make him the highest-paid defensive player in the history of the NFL.
During the 2024 season, Garrett recorded 47 tackles with 22 for loss, 14 sacks, and three forced fumbles. During his Browns career, he has 352 tackles, 116 for loss, 102.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, 17 passes defensed, and one touchdown.
Garrett is a six-time Pro Bowler, a six-time All-Pro, and a one-time Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. Not including this season, the Browns star has only finished in the top five in voting for that award twice. Should he win, he would be the third player to repeat since 2014, including T.J.’s brother, J.J. Watt. Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II is the current betting favorite.
