Following a massively disappointing season, it’s evident that a bold and decisive rebuild is necessary for the Cleveland Browns. Despite having talent on paper, Cleveland’s inability to sustain success has kept the team trapped in a cycle of mediocrity. However, with Myles Garrett—one of the NFL’s premier defensive players— on the roster, the Browns have a unique opportunity to reset their future by making what would be the most difficult, yet potentially franchise-altering, trade in their history.
Just two seasons ago, the Browns were a playoff team. That feels like a distant memory now. To compound their woes, star pass rusher Myles Garrett is seeking an exit from Cleveland. His frustrations are understandable, as the team’s 2024 season unraveled in catastrophic fashion.
Cleveland’s troubles began with Deshaun Watson’s abysmal play at quarterback. It immediately put the team in a difficult position. Any hopes of a turnaround were completely dashed when Watson suffered a devastating Achilles tear—his second in as many years. This raised serious doubts about his availability for the 2025 season. His contract situation already complicated Cleveland’s future, but this injury only exacerbates the nightmare scenario for the Browns.
This franchise isn’t devoid of talent. However, the sheer collapse of the 2024 season has raised questions about everything. It’s hard to find optimism when Cleveland’s quarterback situation is arguably the biggest disaster in the NFL. with their best player now wanting out, the Browns face an offseason filled with brutal decisions.
Here we’ll try to identify the perfect trade that the Cleveland Browns must try to complete in the 2025 NFL offseason.
The Browns find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation—once again facing a glaring need at quarterback. However, this offseason carries an added layer of urgency, as Garrett has officially requested a trade.
Since entering the league in 2017, Garrett has been one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive forces. His 2024 season only reinforced that status. The four-time All-Pro delivered yet another Defensive Player of the Year-worthy campaign. He led all edge rushers in Pro Football Focus’ wins above replacement (WAR) metric while earning a 92.3 overall PFF grade and a 92.8 pass-rushing grade. Both were league-best marks among defensive linemen.
Now, the Browns have two choices. The first is to meet Garrett’s contractual demands. This would mak him the highest-paid defensive player in football. Alternatively, they can trade Garrett for multiple first-round picks and embrace a full-scale rebuild. It’s a pivotal decision—one that GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski must carefully consider as they reshape the franchise’s future.
At first glance, parting ways with Garrett seems unfathomable. He is, without question, Cleveland’s most impactful player. However, as painful as it might be, keeping Garrett on a rebuilding team simply isn’t logical.
Cleveland is in shambles—both on the field and in the front office. The quarterback situation is a disaster, Watson’s contract has crippled the team financially, and a lack of draft capital makes acquiring top-tier talent even more difficult. Instead of forcing Garrett to endure another losing season, the Browns would be better served by leveraging his elite trade value to restock their roster with high-end draft picks.
One clear path forward is to use the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select a franchise quarterback, such as Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. However, Cleveland could take a different approach. This means trading Garrett, signing a veteran quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Justin Fields on a bargain deal, and trading down from No. 2 to accumulate even more assets.
This strategy would give the Browns a much-needed influx of talent while allowing them to remain flexible at quarterback. Someone like Cousins, who may become available if Atlanta moves on from him, could be signed on a team-friendly veteran contract. While not a long-term answer, he would provide stability under center while Cleveland builds the roster with an arsenal of draft picks.
If Cleveland officially makes Garrett available, there will be no shortage of suitors. The Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston Texans are among the most realistic trade partners, all of whom are in win-now mode and possess the draft capital needed to make a blockbuster deal happen.
However, the financial side of a Garrett trade presents challenges. Moving him would come with a significant dead cap hit. Considering the Browns already have one of the worst salary-cap situations in the AFC, it’s a move that would require careful planning. That said, Cleveland’s front office should seriously entertain the possibility.
The harsh reality is that the Browns are far from contention. Their salary cap is in ruins, their quarterback situation is one of the worst in the NFL, and their roster has glaring holes on both sides of the ball. By the time they fix things, Garrett will be approaching 30, and keeping him around as the team struggles through another rebuilding phase would do little to improve their long-term outlook.
By moving Garrett for multiple first-round picks, the Browns would unlock the flexibility needed to address their quarterback dilemma, rebuild their roster, and escape their salary cap nightmare. It’s a painful yet necessary step toward ending Cleveland’s long-standing mediocrity and finally establishing a path to contention.
For GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski, this is the moment to prove they can make the tough calls that great organizations must make. It’s time for Cleveland to stop chasing short-term fixes and start making the right moves for the future—and that starts with trading Myles Garrett in the 2025 NFL offseason.