Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett consulted with the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James prior to making a public trade request.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year told Rich Eisen he sought the guidance of James, who famously left Cleveland in 2010 in pursuit of the championship that had eluded him with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Garrett said LeBron understood his position on wanting to leave the Browns and was prepared to offer any helpful advice:

The six-time Pro Bowler was pretty clear when he said in a statement that winning a Super Bowl is the one goal he holds above all others.

James had the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy squarely in his sights when he signed with the Miami Heat and broke the hearts of fans across Northeast Ohio in the process.

Garrett's trade request pales in comparison to The Decision in terms of its impact across Cleveland sports as a whole and the reaction it's generating within the fanbase.

Rather than blaming Garrett for wanting out, a lot of Browns fans are pointing the finger at team owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry.

Since Haslam purchased the franchise in 2012, Cleveland has made the playoffs just twice. Multiple head coaches and front-office regimes have come through the doors, yet the on-field product has remained pretty much the same.

Berry, meanwhile, executed what's arguably the worst trade in modern history. He bet the house on Deshaun Watson being the missing piece for the Browns. Instead, the Watson deal ruined what ruined what had been a promising roster when he arrived in 2022, and it could be a while before the team is even competitive again.

James was persona non grata in Cleveland the moment he said he was taking his talents to South Beach. The vitriol he received in his first game back was nonstop, even as the Heat blew out the Cavs.

There will undoubtedly be some who are upset with Garrett because they hoped he'd begin and end his career with the Browns. But even diehard followers have recognized the organization's failure to fully capitalize on the transcendent talent it has with the veteran edge-rusher.

Myles Garrett's trade request is not a contract ploy, as the Cleveland Browns are "fully comfortable" paying him a new contract, SportsCenter's Jeremy Fowler explained:

"I was told that this is not a contract ploy from Myles Garrett," Fowler said. "The Browns are fully comfortable paying Myles Garrett a new contract. Sometimes you see players make a trade request, the bigger play is to get more money. This is not a money thing, this is solely a winning issue. So what he says in his statement is exactly true, there's no hidden agenda here."

After the Browns finished the season 3-14, Garrett's intention is to join a winning team. Fowler was also informed that no amount of aggressive spending by the Browns to add talent during the offseason would sway Garrett's decision.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year officially requested a trade from the Browns on Monday following heavy speculation about the player's future.

In a statement shared by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Garrett expressed his desire to move elsewhere before the 2025 NFL season.

"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 wrote. "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.

The 29-year-old recorded 40 solo tackles this season, along with 14 sacks, which ranked second in the league, marking his seventh consecutive double-digit sack season. He also added three forced fumbles.

Last week, Cleveland's general manager made it clear that they had no interest in trading Garrett, saying, "You can put that on the record," per NFL's Eric Edholm. He added that the team intended to sign him to an extension.

According to Rapoport, Edholm's stance has not changed following Garrett's official trade request.

Garrett signed a five-year, $125 million extension in 2020, with a salary cap hit of $19.7 million in 2024 and $20.4 million in 2026. With a $5 million roster bonus due to Garrett on March 16, it's clear his trade desires are not motivated by money.

Since being drafted by the Browns in 2017 with the No. 1 overall pick, Garrett and Cleveland have made just two playoff appearances and hold a 53-78 record, including a winless season during Garrett's rookie year.

The six-time Pro Bowler has made it clear that he's ready to move on to greener pastures, and if the Browns front office does not accommodate his request, it could lead to a rough 2025-26 season for both Garrett and Cleveland.

Myles Garrett could be on his way out of Cleveland as the star defensive end requested a trade from the Browns on Monday.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Garrett cited his "desire to win and compete on the biggest stages" as his reason for wanting out of Cleveland, which went 3-14 this season.

The market for Garrett will undoubtedly be massive. One executive even said they would give up "two first-round picks and more to land Garrett," per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.

As teams prepare to put their offers in, here's a look at where each team stands in terms of salary cap heading into the 2025 season, per Spotrac:

• New England Patriots: $124.1 million
• Las Vegas Raiders: $95.2 million
• Washington Commanders: $82.4 million
• Arizona Cardinals: $71.3 million
• Chicago Bears: $66.9 million
• Los Angeles Chargers: $64.7 million
• Minnesota Vikings: $61.1 million
• Detroit Lions: $56.9 million
• San Francisco 49ers: $50.4 million
• Tennessee Titans: $49.8 million
• Cincinnati Bengals: $49.8 million
• New York Giants: $47.1 million
• Green Bay Packers: $44.6 million
• Pittsburgh Steelers: $43.2 million
• Los Angels Rams: $40.2 million
• Denver Broncos: $37.3 million
• Jacksonville Jaguars: $33.7 million
• Indianapolis Colts: $31.1 million
• Philadelphia Eagles: $24.9 million
• Carolina Panthers: $22.7 million
• New York Jets: $15.8 million
• Kansas City Chiefs: $15.7 million
• Baltimore Ravens: $8.9 million
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $5.7 million
• Houston Texans: $1.8 million
• Dallas Cowboys: $-2.4 million
• Atlanta Falcons: $-8.6 million
• Buffalo Bills: $-10.5 million
• Miami Dolphins: $-15.9 million
• Seattle Seahawks: $-25.3 million
• Cleveland Browns: $-27.5 million
• New Orleans Saints: $-51.1 million

Any team in the NFL would benefit by adding Garrett, but not every squad has the assets to land him in a trade.

The Chicago Bears, armed with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, could be interested in getting into the Garrett business. It wouldn't be the first time the Bears scored a star edge-rusher, as they landed Khalil Mack in a blockbuster deal back in 2018.

Chicago's biggest need this offseason is help on the offensive line. If the Bears hold on to the No. 10 pick, that's likely what they'll use it for, but it might be worth trading if it means landing Garrett.

The Kansas City Chiefs could also get into the mix for Garrett to ensure their championship-level defense doesn't face any setbacks this offseason. Garrett stated that his desire to be traded comes from a place of wanting to compete for a championship. Who else would be better to join than the team on the brink of winning three straight?

The Chiefs don't have any high picks in this year's draft by nature of being one of the best teams in the league, but they could give Cleveland a haul of selections to make up for their lack of a top-10 pick.

The New England Patriots possess the No. 4 pick in this year's draft, which they could trade to the Browns to give them a pair of selections in the top five. Furthermore, New England has a few quarterbacks on its roster it could include in a trade such as rookie Joe Milton, who impressed in his limited action this season.

The Patriots might not be a Super Bowl contender yet, but they could give Garrett a massive contract next offseason with their seemingly endless cap space.

Teams can go ahead and prepare their offers in the coming weeks, but it seems the Browns won't be listening to them just yet as a team spokesperson said, they "aren't entertaining trade offers for Myles," per Tom Withers of the Associated Press.

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.

Jameis Winston will eventually be searching for his next NFL team as a free agent this offseason, but he reportedly didn't even wait until the end of the 2024 campaign to find his next job.

And that job involves a return trip to New Orleans.

Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported Wednesday that Winston will work as a correspondent for Fox Sports Digital in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

According to Glasspiegel, the quarterback will be featured in video journeys around New Orleans that take audiences to his favorite dining and entertainment spots in the city.

Winston is certainly familiar with New Orleans seeing how he played for the Saints for four seasons from 2020 to 2023. He was primarily a backup for the NFC South team but started seven games in 2021 and went 5-2.

The 2015 Pro Bowler spent the 2024 campaign on the Cleveland Browns and went 2-5 in his seven starts with 13 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions.

While he would surely love to be in New Orleans for the Super Bowl as a player, he found an alternate path to his former home ahead of the battle for the Lombardi Trophy.