The Cleveland Browns and Myles Garrett have reached an impasse. Garrett no longer wants to play for the team. The Browns want to keep their franchise player. Neither side appears willing to budge and it has created one of the most interesting storylines of the offseason.
Garrett is sick of losing and can’t envision winning a championship in Cleveland, and the Browns feel like they need him to make that happen. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Garrett has shown respect while asking for a trade. But Cleveland hasn’t reciprocated the favor and it showed up in owner Jimmy Haslam’s latest decision.
Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam Refuses to Meet With Myles Garrett
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Garrett requested a meeting with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam to discuss his trade request. Haslam declined the opportunity to speak with Garrett, and Pelissero adds that both sides are dug in, with the Browns refusing to discuss a trade and Garrett prepared to miss games.
#Browns star Myles Garrett recently requested a meeting with owner Jimmy Haslam, who declined to speak amidst Garrett’s trade request, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 7, 2025
Both sides are dug in: Cleveland refuses to even discuss a trade, while Garrett is preparing to miss games if he’s not traded. pic.twitter.com/1VMv1xMl1b
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com also added that Haslam responded to the request by telling Garrett to talk to general manager Andrew Berry, which is another development in a relationship that has turned ugly.
Garrett released a statement during Super Bowl week requesting a trade from Cleveland citing a “desire to win.” He has also appeared on several podcasts explaining his decision and even consulted former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James for advice while making his decision.
While Garrett has approached the request respectfully, the Browns have taken the opposite approach. A report last week revealed the Browns approached Garrett about an extension, which tanked Garrett’s trade value as potential suitors know money won’t repair the relationship with his employer.
That has Garrett as one of the top names available on the trade market as a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. Since entering the league, Garrett ranks second behind T.J. Watt (108.0) with 102.5 sacks, and no other player has more than 90 during that time frame.
Teams that need help rushing the passer, such as the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, are among the teams that could be calling, and others such as the Philadelphia Eagles could look to load up their strong defenses to add another weapon.
Then again, the Browns have used just about every avenue to try to keep Garrett in Cleveland, which is why it’s odd the team owner wouldn’t want to be part of that process. Regardless, it’s a situation that isn’t going away soon and could be a stalemate that bleeds into the summer.