The moment Browns fans have been dreading finally arrived last week. After a disastrous 2024 season, star edge rusher and franchise icon Myles Garrett took to social media to announce he was requesting a trade. The 2017 No. 1 pick has been a cornerstone ever since arriving in Cleveland, racking up 102.5 sacks and 200 knockdowns over eight seasons. He ranks second in both categories since the start of the 2017 season, behind T.J. Watt.
Garrett's statement reflects the reality the Browns are facing after their disastrous decision to trade for Deshaun Watson in 2022, a move that cost them multiple first-round picks and locked them into a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal, $92 million of which remains on the books.