AFC North

The Cleveland Browns are stuck between a rock and a hard place after star defensive end Myles Garrett went public Monday with a trade request.

Garrett shared a statement saying he wants to win a Super Bowl more than anything else, implying he has lost the belief the Browns can get him there.

Were Cleveland to acquiesce, it would not only be a widely unpopular decision in Northeast Ohio but also carry serious financial ramifications.

Trading the reigning Defensive Player of the Year before June 1 would put $36.2 million in dead money on the books and have a $16.5 million salary cap charge, per Spotrac. Waiting until after June 1 would spread the dead money across 2025 ($14.8 million) and 2026 ($21.5 million), but that timeline kind of defeats the purpose behind doing the trade in the first place.

Based on how these things go, draft compensation would account for most or all of the return from a Garrett trade. That puts the onus on moving him before the 2025 NFL draft gets underway on April 24 if it comes to that.

To provide some context behind Garrett's pre-June 1 dead money hit, only two teams have more than $36.2 million in combined dead money for 2025. Cleveland is one of those teams thanks to trading wide receiver Amari Cooper and edge-rusher Za'Darius Smith.

There's salary cap hell and then there's the position in which general manager Andrew Berry would find himself when quarterback Deshaun Watson counts for $72.9 million against the cap and another $70-plus million is tied to players no longer on the roster.

If you accept the premise that rebuilding is the most sensible path forward for Cleveland, then the finances alone shouldn't stand in the way of a Garrett trade. The Denver Broncos paid a massive cost to move on from Russell Wilson and that didn't even stop them from making the playoffs.

But Garrett's lingering impact on the payroll would serve as a reminder of how badly Berry has mismanaged the roster in pursuit of a championship

The Cleveland Browns aren't planning on trading star defensive end Myles Garrett despite his desire to be moved.

A team spokesperson said that the Browns' stance on dealing Garrett hasn't changed and "we aren't entertaining trade offers for Myles," via Tom Withers of the Associated Press.

The 29-year-old requested a change of scenery with a statement released on Monday.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry previously told reporters that the team wouldn't trade Garrett, even if the offer included two first-round picks.

"We always have a really good and direct two-way communication with our players (and) we feel really good about Myles, obviously, as a big piece of our future," Berry said, via Zac Jackson of The Athletic. "We're looking forward to him being on the field."

"Like I said in my (early January) press conference, we envision him going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over," he added.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo confirmed the Browns' desire to retain Garrett, reporting that they "do not intend to have any conversations" involving the six-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher.

Garrett still has two seasons remaining on a five-year, $125 million contract extension that he signed with Cleveland in 2020. He'll carry cap hits of $19.7 million for the 2025 season and $20.4 million for his 2026 campaign, via Spotrac.

He expressed his desire to play for a contending team during the 2024 regular season, explaining that he wasn't willing to stick around for a rebuild.

"I want the Browns to be able to put me and us in position to win," Garrett said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "I'm not trying to rebuild. I'm trying to win right now. I want that to be apparent, when the season's over and we have those discussions, I want them to be able to illuminate that for me, illustrate that for me, so that can be something that I can see in the near future."

After winning 2023 Defensive Player of the Year honors, Garrett put together another strong 2024 campaign. In 17 starts, he recorded 14 sacks and three forced fumbles to go along with a league-leading 22 tackles for loss.

With the Browns coming off a 3-14 season, Garrett wants to be dealt. Cleveland doesn't seem willing to discuss potential swaps with opposing teams, though.

Superstar defensive end Myles Garrett officially requested a trade on Monday, seeking an exit to his time with the Cleveland Browns.

And that has folks pondering what his trade value might be if the Browns obliged his request.

One general manager told The Athletic's Dianna Russini that Garrett should fetch "probably a [first-round pick plus additional assets]. Can't wait for the, 'It will be three firsts" crowd. Not happening. One and a two. One and two threes. Throw a player in there."

And an executive told Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, "I'd give up two first-round picks and more to land Garrett."

Last week, Browns' general manager Andrew Berry was asked by reporters if he would decline a trade offer for Garrett even if he was offered two first-round picks.

"Correct," he answered. "You can put that on the record."

He added that the Browns were interested in signing Garrett to an extension at some point in the future.

"I don't want to go into contract discussions. I wouldn't do that publicly," he said. "But I think you can assume that we do anticipate at some point doing a third contract with Myles. We want him to retire here."

On Monday, reports indicated that Garrett's trade request hadn't changed the organization's stance on the matter:

Expect a substantial number of teams to call the Browns anyway.

Garrett, 29, is arguably the most disruptive edge-rusher in the sport. The six-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro selection and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year has registered double-digit sacks in seven straight seasons, only failing to achieve the mark during his rookie year.

In eight seasons he's posted 102.5 sacks and 200 quarterback hits. In 2024, he notched 14 sacks, 47 tackles, a league-leading 22 tackles for loss, 28 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. He's a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year honors, and for good reason.

Garrett, a future Hall of Famer, is a game-changer at a premium position, and plenty of teams will be interested in acquiring his services, even at a high cost. The Browns are maintaining that they aren't interested in dealing him, but the disastrous Deshaun Watson contract means that a rebuild is coming at some point. Cashing in on Garrett's enormous value now could help stock those retooling efforts with highly valuable draft capital.

A variety of teams should be interested in Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher Myles Garrett following his trade request.

Garrett made his desire to be dealt from the Browns known with a statement released on Monday, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The 29-year-old has established himself as one of the NFL's top defensive players, earning six Pro Bowl nods to go along with 2023 Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Fans discussed potential landing spots for Garrett.

Cleveland doesn't appear to be willing to move Garrett, with a team spokesperson telling Tom Withers of the Associated Press that "we aren't entertaining trade offers for Myles."

The Browns are coming off a 3-14 finish in 2024, ending the year tied with the Tennessee Titans for the worst record in the AFC.

Cleveland has made just two playoff appearances since selecting Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft and hasn't advanced beyond the Divisional Round.

During the regular season, the star defensive end previously discussed his desire to play for a contending team and explained that he wasn't interested in suiting up for a rebuilding franchise.

"I want to win," Garrett said, via SI.com's James Rapien. "I want the Browns to put me and us in a position to win. I'm not trying to rebuild, I'm trying to win right now. There's gotta be a plan of action and just gotta know where things are going."

He later revealed that he spoke to the Browns' front office regarding his stance.

Garrett has consistently wrecked opposing backfields throughout his career, compiling double-digit sack totals in each of the past seven seasons. In 2024, he racked up 14 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 44 pressures and three forced fumbles.

His 22 percent pass-rush win rate ranked No. 6 among all NFL players last season, per ESPN.com.

While the Browns may not attempt to move on from Garrett, there should still be several opposing front offices inquiring about his availability.

Six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.

In a statement to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Garrett said his "desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won't allow me to be complacent." He added that his ultimate career goal is to become a Super Bowl champion.

A spokesperson for the Browns told the Associated Press' Tom Withers they "aren't entertaining trade offers for Myles."

The trade request comes days after Browns general manager Andrew Berry said the team has no intentions of moving the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who's signed through 2026.

"We feel really good about Myles obviously as a big piece of our future," Berry told reporters. "We're looking forward to him being on the field. Like I said in my (early January) press conference, we envision him going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over."

The fact Garrett specifically said "the goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton" seems to be a direct response to his GM's remarks.

The 29-year-old's reservations about Cleveland's direction for the near future are understandable.

Acquiring Deshaun Watson and giving him a fully guaranteed $230 million extension has proven to be a catastrophic decision.

Beyond the fact his game has dramatically declined and he can't stay healthy—Watson tore his right Achilles tendon for the second time in January—the three-time Pro Bowler has a $72.9 million salary cap hit for 2025 and 2026. A quarter of the Browns' payroll is tied to a quarterback who has either been hurt or performed well below expectations.

There isn't a way to positively spin Garrett's trade request. He's one of the NFL's premier defensive players, and the Browns would be worse without him on the roster. There's also the optics of having your biggest star basically tell everyone he no longer has faith you can build a championship winner.

The request does at least give Berry cover to more aggressively pursue a move that's going to be widely unpopular within the fanbase. Because Garrett's trade value is likely to be pretty high, the franchise has a straightforward pivot to a rebuild if it chooses, too.

Cleveland already possesses nine picks in the 2025 NFL draft, including the No. 2 overall selection. Dealing Garrett would add to that haul and give the Browns a ton of young, cost-controlled talent to lay the foundation for the future.

Of course, one obvious question is whether Berry should be person to guide any rebuild when he's largely responsible for putting Cleveland in its current position.

Garrett's request can certainly be read as a damning indictment of Berry's tenure.

For the third straight year, the NFC emerged victorious over the AFC in the revamped Pro Bowl Games with a 76-63 win on Sunday.

The NFC entered Sunday with a 14-7 lead following their success in the Skills Competition on Thursday. Head coach Eli Manning secured bragging rights over his brother Peyton Manning once again as the NFC dominated the majority of the mini-games before taking full control in the flag football game. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff was the offensive MVP, and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy was named defensive MVP.

Lions star Jahmyr Gibbs also could have earned MVP honors on defense thanks to this play:

Fans were treated to highlights on both sides. For the NFC, New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers wowed many with his acrobatic catches. Fans on social media were impressed by his breakout performance:

Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase was the brightest spot for the AFC, as the 2024 Triple Crown winner reached the end zone time and time again to keep things competitive. He showed fans why he's likely to break the bank with a massive contract extension this offseason.

The continued success of the Pro Bowl Games likely means the NFL will stick with this format going forward. Players have enjoyed the extra competitions as well as the carefree play of the flag football game. The battle between the Manning brothers is always entertaining, but Peyton has a long way to go to catch up to his younger brother Eli.

Tee Higgins could be due for a massive contract this offseason.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver's market is expected to be around $30 million per year.

"The over/under on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins' market is $30 million per season, and the majority of team personnel that I spoke with believe he'll hit or clear the over," Fowler wrote. "The lowest estimate I heard was somewhere slightly above DeVonta Smith's three-year, $75 million deal. The rest saw him breaking into the $30 million range, based on his status as a No. 1-caliber receiver and the number of teams desperate for pass-catching help."

Higgins performed well on his rookie deal and the franchise tag contract the Bengals gave him this season. He had 908 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rookie before posting back-to-back 1,000-plus receiving yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. He dealt with injuries last season, limiting him to 12 games, 656 yards and five touchdowns.

This season, Higgins once again played just 12 games but racked up 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. He posted those kinds of numbers while playing behind the Bengals' No. 1 option Ja'Marr Chase, who led the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns this year.

Assuming Higgins is given the reigns as a No. 1 receiver, he could put some of the best numbers in the league.

It seems Higgins has no plans to elongate his free agency this offseason. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on her podcast, Scoop City, that Higgins "wants to have an answer" about his contract "very soon."

That could give the advantage to the Bengals since they'll be working from the inside.

Staying in Cincinnati might prevent Higgins from being the No. 1 option, but he, Chase and Burrow have had past success and could perhaps be the trio that brings the Bengals a championship.

As much as staying loyal to a team might appeal to Higgins, a massive contract from another team might be too much to turn down.

Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson says he is "focused" on re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers amid rumors that he could join his former head coach Pete Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we'll see what happens with the rest. I love it in Pittsburgh," Wilson told Mark Long of the Associated Press.

When asked about Carroll and the Raiders, Wilson answered: "Pete's going to be a great coach, obviously. He's great at what he does. But I'm focused on the Steelers."

After news broke of Carroll's hiring, The Athletic's Jeff Howe described Wilson "one name I've heard to watch" in the Raiders' quarterback search.

Wilson and Carroll spent ten seasons together with the Seattle Seahawks, where they defeated the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season.

The Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX the following season and never made it back to the championship game.

The Athletic later reported, and Wilson denied, that Wilson had wanted Carroll fired ahead of his 2022 trade to the Denver Broncos.

Howe reported that Wilson and Carroll have since "mended fences," and described Wilson as a potential "stopgap" under center while the Raiders search for their next franchise quarterback.

Wilson, who signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Steelers while he was still being paid by the Broncos during the 2024 season, has said multiple times after Pittsburgh's early playoff elimination that he would like to return for another run in black and gold.

The quarterback said immediately after the Steelers' elimination by the Baltimore Ravens that he hopes to be in Pittsburgh next season, and added in a Jan. 22 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that he wants to finish out his career with the Steelers.

Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II hasn't been as firm in committing to Wilson.

Rooney said Monday that his "preference" would be to sign either Wilson or Justin Fields ahead of next season, but that he believes it is "probably unlikely" the Steelers will bring back both quarterbacks (h/t ESPN's Brooke Pryor.)

"I think both of them see themselves as starters and I don't know that they want to share the same job again next year," Rooney said, per Pyror. "So, I would say most likely we probably don't wind up bringing them both back."

Rooney also added that he wants to sign whichever quarterback the Steelers land on to a multi-year contract, which could bring the quarterbacks' age into consideration. Wilson is almost ten years older than Fields, who turns 26 in March.

If the Steelers decide to go with Fields in 2025, Wilson could reconsider seeking a job with the Raiders. At least for now, however, it looks like he has his sights set on a return to Pittsburgh.

In the wake of Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II saying this week they can "probably" only keep one of their top two quarterbacks from this season, Justin Fields has his supporters within the organization.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, there are "some" Steelers officials who "are comfortable" with Fields being their starting quarterback in 2025.

Rooney said both Fields and Russell Wilson are "capable" players, and his "preference" would be to sign one of them:

"That'll be a priority, and I think that will give us the best opportunity to move forward. Obviously, we'll be looking in the draft as well. We've got a whole quarterback room to fill, and so there's jobs open in there. I wouldn't be surprised if we look at the draft, as well, either this year or next."

The Steelers will be looking for some semblance of stability at the position after remaking the quarterback room after the 2023 season. They gave up on Kenny Pickett two years after selecting him in the first round by trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024.

That was followed by the acquisition of Fields from the Chicago Bears and Wilson signing in free agency after he was released by the Denver Broncos.

Wilson dealt with a lingering calf injury throughout the preseason and start of the regular season, allowing Fields to open the year as the starter.

Fields went 4-2 with 1,106 passing yards, 231 rushing yards and accounted for 10 touchdowns in six starts, but fumbling issues prompted head coach Mike Tomlin to insert Wilson as the starter in Week 7.

Wilson did play well out of the gate before tailing off as the season went on. His final stat line looks good with 2,482 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 63.7 completion percentage, but his 51.3 QBR was 22nd out of 32 qualified quarterbacks.

Fields has yet to prove he's good enough as a passer in the NFL to consistently win games, but his rushing ability does give his offense a high floor that a good coordinator can build around.

The best approach for the Steelers would be to give either Fields or Wilson a one-year deal, then take a flier on a young quarterback in the middle rounds of the 2025 draft to see if they can develop a decent starter.

If that strategy doesn't work, they will be right back in this same spot next offseason and still trying to figure out a long-term solution at the most important position on the field.