The Cleveland Browns are stuck between a rock and a hard place this offseason, with a disastrous cap situation and one of the worst rosters in the NFL. To make matters worse, superstar defender Myles Garrett wants a trade to give him a chance to win, adding insult to injury for fans.
Andrew Berry, who has been the team's general manager since 2020, has said that the organization has no interest in trading Garrett. Unfortunately for the front office, Garrett is now making it clear that he won't sign an extension in Cleveland.
He's got two years left on his current deal but his value likely won't be higher than it is right now. Berry has already signed off on one horrific trade in acquiring Deshaun Watson and now his stubborn nature is leaving the Browns in a bad spot. As things stand, it looks like Berry's poor trade tactics are going to cost Cleveland yet again.
Myles Garrett 'not open to' a contract extension with the #Browns, league source tells clevelanddotcom at the #NFLCombine: -->https://t.co/x22dkhAp4E
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) February 27, 2025
Browns GM Andrew Berry Making Another Big Trade Mistake
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Garrett is not open to a new deal. He wants to change teams and with each passing day, Berry's leverage seems to decrease even further.
Initial rumors thought the Browns could get two first-round picks for Garrett or something in that neighborhood. But that seems to be quickly changing. Berry getting into a public posturing battle with Garrett has removed all leverage the Browns might have. If everyone knows Garrett won't sign a new deal with Cleveland, why bother overpaying in a trade? If the Browns don't get an offer they like, would they really rather let Garrett walk for nothing in return? Probably not.
Consider that two recent trade projections have the Browns receiving significantly less value than two first-rounders for Garrett.
The Browns have the second-worst projected 2025 cap situation as things stand, no quarterback of the future, and a limited supporting cast.
For a squad that made the playoffs in 2023, it's been an untenable 12 months. The easiest way for Cleveland to rebuild the numerous holes would be to acquire draft capital for a star like Garrett, though Berry is seemingly digging his heels in the dirt to prove a point. Thus far, there's little to suggest that Berry's tactics benefit the Browns in any meaningful way.
If that's the case, ownership needs to consider moving on. The Watson trade and contract will be remembered as the worst in NFL history but if he fumbles Garrett's request as well, the team would benefit from getting a fresh voice in the front office.