Cleveland Browns

The ongoing drama between the Cleveland Browns and Myles Garrett over the star pass-rusher's trade request took another turn on Friday.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam denied a request from Garrett for a meeting as the organization continues to make clear they have no interest in trading the six-time Pro Bowler.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com added Haslam told Garrett to speak with Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

Pelissero's report noted that Garrett is prepared to miss games during the 2025 season if he doesn't get traded.

Garrett publicly announced his trade request in a statement released on Feb. 3, citing a desire to "compete for and win a Super Bowl."

The Browns have consistently responded to Garrett's request by saying they don't intend to trade him.

Speaking to reporters at the NFL scouting combine on Feb. 25, Berry said the organization understood Garrett's request even though he no desire to follow through on it.

"He's a huge part of our organization. Really good person," Berry said. "He's an awesome player. Understand the trade request and everything, but our stance really has not changed. We can't imagine a situation where not having Myles as a part of the organization is best for the Browns."

Both sides have dug in. Cabot reported on Feb. 27 that Garrett is "not open" to talking about an extension with the Browns and has "apparently slammed the door shut on negotiations."

Cleveland's stance in this situation could be motivated as much by the salary cap as it is a desire to keep a great player like Garrett on the roster. The Browns currently have $12.6 million in cap space.

Trading Garrett prior to June 1 would result in the Browns taking on a $16.5 million dead cap hit. That figure would change to just under $5 million in cap savings if he were to be traded after June 1.

Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, is arguably the most dominant edge-rusher in the NFL right now. He has recorded at least 10 sacks in every season since 2018, including at least 14 in each of the past four seasons.

Since entering the NFL in 2017, Garrett's 102.5 sacks are the second-most in the league behind T.J. Watt (108).

The Browns have only made the playoffs three times since rejoining the NFL in 1999, with two of those appearances coming since 2020. They haven't advanced beyond the divisional round since losing to the Denver Broncos in the 1989 AFC Championship Game.

For the second time in less than four months, the Cleveland Browns have adjusted Deshaun Watson's contract.

Per ESPN's Field Yates, the Browns cleared $36 million in cap space after Watson agreed to restructure his deal.

Watson previously restructured his contract in December to ease some of the future burden on the Browns' cap by adding two void years that allows them to push his dead money out to 2030.

The minimum base salary for a player with at least seven years of service time in the NFL in 2025 is $1.26 million.

Restructuring the contract for Watson makes the Browns cap-compliant before the start of the new league year on March 12. They entered the offseason $29.9 million over the $279.2 million cap.

Per Spotrac, the Browns now have $12.9 million in cap room.

There's a possibility that Watson never plays in another game for the Browns, despite being under contract through 2026. He may not be able to play in 2025 after re-rupturing his Achilles in January, two months after suffering the same injury in a Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland is among the teams most often connected to a quarterback in the draft. It owns the No. 2 overall pick in the first round, potentially giving the organization a choice between any of the top signal-callers depending on what the Tennessee Titans do with the top pick.

Watson's on-field performance for the Browns over the past three seasons has been extremely disappointing. He has thrown for 3,365 yards with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 61.2 completion percentage in 19 games.

The Browns are coming off their worst season since the winless 2017 campaign. Their 3-14 record was tied for the worst mark in the league.

The Cleveland Browns will have the opportunity to add a foundational cornerstone to their roster with the No. 2 pick of the 2025 NFL draft, and they are reportedly bringing in some of the most notable prospects in preparation for that selection.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported Tuesday the Browns are bringing in Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders for top-30 visits.

Cabot also reported that Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter is set to visit Cleveland this week.

Sanders has made the most headlines, and his draft status feels rather uncertain for the time being.

The most recent mock draft from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had him going No. 29 overall to the Browns after Cleveland traded into the selection, while The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote that Sanders is seen as the draft's "wild card" since he "is not a first-round quarterback for a lot of NFL teams."

Cleveland needs more long-term certainty at quarterback given Deshaun Watson's on-field struggles and availability concerns after he suffered another Achilles injury.

Given that as the backdrop, it comes as no surprise the team is hosting Ward and Sanders for visits. The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported there were "rumblings" around the NFL Scouting Combine that Cleveland preferred Ward and isn't "high enough" on Sanders to use the No. 2 pick on the Colorado product.

There are also some questions about Carter, who could be the top overall player in this draft but now has health concerns.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the pass-rusher has a stress reaction in his right foot and may need to undergo surgery. It remains to be seen whether that will impact his draft status, and the Browns will surely look to ask him some questions about the injury during the visit.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department released a new mock draft Tuesday and projected Ward to end up in Cleveland at No. 2 with the New York Giants trading into the No. 1 pick and selecting Sanders. As for Carter, he goes No. 3 to the Tennessee Titans after the AFC South team's trade with New York.

Even though the Cleveland Browns have a need at quarterback for the 2025 season, they may not push themselves to draft one if the player they prefer isn't available.

Per The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, there's a feeling within the NFL right now that the Cleveland Browns "aren't high enough on Shedeur Sanders" to select him No. 2 overall.

Rosenblatt noted "rumblings" out of Indianapolis during the combine were that the Browns prefer Cam Ward.

Sanders' draft stock is one of the most fascinating stories to follow in the NFL right now. There's been an expectation for some time that his floor was the Las Vegas Raiders with the sixth pick.

Now, though, Sanders' draft projections are all over the place. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein released a new mock draft on Monday that had the Colorado star being selected by the Browns, but he had them trading back into the first round at No. 29 to add him.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler wrote Sanders is considered a "wild card" in this draft because he "is not a first-round quarterback for a lot of NFL teams," with his range of outcomes potentially being a top-six pick or falling out of the first round entirely.

B/R's NFL scouting department currently has Sanders ranked as the No. 16 overall player in the 2025 class.

Cleveland is in a difficult spot because it has to add a starting-caliber quarterback to its roster this offseason. Deshaun Watson could miss the entire 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles in January while rehabbing the same injury he originally suffered against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7 last season.

Kirk Cousins is among the free-agent options who has frequently been linked to the Browns, assuming he gets released by the Atlanta Falcons.

Even if the Browns do like Sanders, though, they need to be sure about his skill set and upside to invest the No. 2 pick in him. This is their first time picking in the first round since 2021 due to the Watson trade with the Houston Texans in March 2022.

The Browns are assured of having their pick of at least one of Ward, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter in their current draft spot. They have 11 total picks right now, including two in the third round, that could allow them to trade up at the end of the first round if a player like Sanders is still on the board.

Sanders finished eighth in Heisman voting last season at Colorado. He threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and completed 74.0 percent of his attempts in 13 games.

Browns quarterbacks finished last in the NFL with a 71.4 rating in 2024. They threw for 3,506 yards, 19 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

The Cleveland Browns are considered a potential suitor for Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

"If Hunter isn’t the first pick, he’ll draw serious consideration from the Cleveland Browns at No. 2, according to league sources," Howe reported Monday.

The Browns should have a variety of options available on draft night when they'll be on the clock, and Hunter is an intriguing one. He's coming off a stellar 2024 campaign with the Buffaloes, earning Heisman Trophy honors.

He caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver while racking up 36 tackles and 11 passes defensed to go with four interceptions at cornerback.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry praised Hunter at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, revealing that the team views him as a wide receiver first.

"Well, I’d say this, in terms of Travis Hunter, cornerback or receiver? The answer is yes,” Berry said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “So, he can play both and I think that’s what makes him special. We would see him as a receiver primarily first, but I think part of, again, what makes him a bit of a unicorn is the fact that he can do both at a high level."

Cleveland could also target a quarterback at No. 2, especially with Deshaun Watson's 2025 season in jeopardy after undergoing a second surgery on his ruptured Achilles at the end of the team's 2024 campaign.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Sunday that the "the overwhelming belief" is that the Browns will select a signal-caller with their top pick.

In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, Cleveland was projected to add Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter at No. 2 with Hunter still on the board.

As the Browns continue to navigate through the predraft process, they already appear to be interested in Hunter.

The Cleveland Browns are pretty much stuck with quarterback Deshaun Watson for now thanks to his massive contract, but that doesn't mean he'll suit up for the team again.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Sunday that "there's a strong chance Watson has played his final game as a Brown." He said the "overwhelming belief" around the league is that Cleveland will use the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported on Wednesday that Watson is "determined to make a comeback" as he recovers from his second Achilles tear. The three-time Pro Bowler is staring at an uncertain future, though.

If you put aside Watson's salary, the Browns simply don't have a compelling reason to start a quarterback who has battled injuries while averaging fewer than 200 yards per game in 19 starts over the last three seasons.

Should Cleveland take Ward or Sanders, it would signal a clear pivot. The franchise wouldn't make that kind of investment to just turn around and move Watson to the top of the depth chart again in 2026.

That's why the biggest question at this point is whether the Browns eat a ton of money next spring or simply let Watson's deal expire.

Designating him as a post-June 1 cut in 2026 would still cost $72.9 million in dead money next year on top of $26.9 million in 2027. When the price is the same either way, having Watson stay as the backup might be better than paying him almost $73 million to do nothing.

Either scenario backs up Graziano's report because an injury to Cleveland's starter may be the only path for Watson to see the field again in a Browns uniform.

The Cleveland Browns may have their sights set on a quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft.

Cleveland was projected to take Miami passer Cam Ward with the No. 2 overall pick in the latest 2025 mock draft from ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., with Kiper citing "intel" that the Browns are targeting a signal-caller with the pick during Thursday's First Draft (6:20 mark).

"This is what you go to the NFL for," Kiper said. "And it's teams, what are they hearing? One of my key guys says, 'Hey, I'm hearing Cleveland is taking a quarterback.'"

He also expected Ward to be the first quarterback off the board over Colorado's Shedeur Sanders due to the Miami signal-caller's "mobility" as well as the lack of pressure that he puts on his offensive line.

Ward is coming off a stellar senior season with the Hurricanes, completing 67.2 percent of his throws for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns while getting picked off just seven times.

The Browns' quarterback situation is uncertain entering the 2025 season.

Deshaun Watson suffered a second Achilles tear during his recovery from an initial torn Achilles that occurred in Oct. 2024. He could miss the team's entire 2025 campaign before he's able to return, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, Cleveland was projected to add Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 2 overall selection. It's worth noting that Ward was already off the board.

As the Browns weigh their options with the high draft choice, Kiper believes that they're looking to acquire a quarterback such as Ward.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is "determined to make a comeback" after suffering a second tear to his right Achilles tendon, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.

Cabot reported that Watson is "making good progress again" and "in a good headspace" with the injury likely to sideline him for all of 2025.

Plenty of NFL players have come back from major Achilles injuries, with Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers two recent examples at just the quarterback position. And when Watson is still getting a $46 million fully guaranteed base salary in 2026, he has little incentive to walk away before then.

However, it's fair to wonder what kind of role will be waiting for the three-time Pro Bowler when he's healthy enough to play again.

Aside from the injuries that limited him to 13 appearances between 2023 and 2024, Watson has been a shell of his old self ever since he was traded to the Browns. He has averaged 177.1 passing yards per game with an 80.7 QB rating in Cleveland.

Watson was the NFL's leading passer in 2020 with 4,823 yards and had 33 touchdowns to seven interceptions. The decline has been rapid and it may be permanent when factoring in his torn Achilles and earlier shoulder surgery.

Watson's contract makes it tough for the Browns to cut him, even when he'll have one year remaining. A post-June 1 release next offseason would carry dead money hits of $72.9 million in 2026 and $26.9 million in 2027.

There's nothing stopping Cleveland from making the 29-year-old the highest-paid backup in NFL history, though. Should Cleveland use the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward, it would signal a clear changing of the guard at quarterback, too.

Now picture Watson hitting the open market in 2027, when he may have gone two full seasons with seeing little to no action on the field.

It's premature to say Watson's career is over, but his long-term outlook is rather precarious.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Wednesday that the team has met with several quarterback prospects, including Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Miami's Cam Ward and Alabama's Jalen Milroe.

The Browns will select second overall in the 2025 NFL draft, which begins on Thursday, April 24 in Green Bay.

The Browns need a long-term solution at quarterback after Deshaun Watson, who scuffled through an ineffective 2024 season, suffered a torn Achilles last October and then a re-rupture that will cause him to miss "significant time" in the 2025 campaign, per a team statement.

The general consensus at this point is that Ward and Sanders are above the rest of the quarterback prospects. However, Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter are largely seen as a cut above the rest of the prospects overall.

So Cleveland could have a choice to make. The Browns could land a quarterback in free agency (or later in the draft, perhaps someone like Milroe) and get a blue-chip prospect like Hunter or Carter, or they could stand pat at No. 2 and take Ward or Sanders.

For his money, ESPN's Adam Schefter seems assured that the Browns will go QB at No. 2.

Cleveland has infamously endured much inconsistency at the position over its franchise history since returning to the league in 1999, and the Browns have had four different top passers in each of the last four years.

So adding Ward or Sanders and hoping that signal-caller can finally alleviate a long-standing problem may be the choice here.

We'll find out soon enough, but in the interim, Cleveland and 31 other teams are doing their homework in Indianapolis.

The Cleveland Browns are either serious about not granting Myles Garrett's trade request, or they're doing a good job trying to drive up his price around the NFL.

Speaking to reporters from the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said "I expect" Garrett to be on the team in 2025 and beyond because he's "part of the present" and "part of the future" for the organization.

Garrett released a statement on Feb. 3 announcing he has formally requested a trade from the Browns.

General manager Andrew Berry has said multiple times that he's not interested in trading Garrett. He said in January that they wouldn't consider a deal even if a team was offering multiple first-round draft picks.

In the immediate aftermath of the trade request, Berry said the Browns "envision [Garrett] going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over."

Addressing the situation again at the combine on Tuesday, Berry noted the Browns' "stance really has not changed."

The Browns are in a tricky position with their star defensive end. It certainly makes sense they would want to keep him because he remains one of the best all-around defenders in the NFL and won't turn 30 until Dec. 29.

There's a lot of discussion right now about what the Browns' approach in the draft will be, as they own the No. 2 overall pick. They certainly need a quarterback, particularly a cost-effective one, with Deshaun Watson set to count $72.9 million against the cap in each of the next two seasons.

If the Browns don't like any of the quarterback options at the top of the draft, their options in free agency or via trade could include Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

None of those three players are significant needle-movers at this point in their career. Garrett is only under contract for two more seasons. His value should remain high going forward because he's that good, but it's unlikely to be higher than it is right now given his age.

The Browns could potentially fast-track a rebuild by dealing Garrett this offseason with the amount of draft assets they could bring back in return. Of course, the odds of drafting a player as good as Garrett is low.

It's a difficult position for an organization in need of a lot of talent to be in. The Browns are coming off a 3-14 record in 2024, their most losses in a single season since the winless 2017 campaign.

Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, has recorded 102.5 sacks in 117 games over eight seasons in the NFL.