Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett made it abundantly clear last week that he wants to play for a contender.
"I want to win. 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," he told reporters. "There's gotta be a plan of action and just gotta know where things are going."
On Friday, he told reporters that he's since spoken to Cleveland's front office regarding that stance:
Daniel Oyefusi @DanielOyefusiBrowns DE Myles Garrett said he's had a few convos with upper management since his comments last week. Garrett said they wanted to see where his head was at and they'll have more talks after the season. <a href="https://t.co/Iqh2h1WAoB">pic.twitter.com/Iqh2h1WAoB</a>
He also said he's consulted with LeBron James—who spent 11 seasons playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and remains a Browns fan—over the years.
"I mean, he's seen everything on the sports side of it. His advice has been very valuable," he said. "Him, his team, just being able to be around them and learn from them has been very useful these last couple of years. ... Definitely using my platform, my voice, to my benefit and my team's benefit. It's been crucial."
Mary Kay Cabot @MaryKayCabot<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Browns</a> Myles Garrett has talked to LeBron James about speaking up more. Front office also talked to him about his might-want-out remarks unless there's a winning plan to see where his head is at. <a href="https://t.co/WinIgxv4hn">pic.twitter.com/WinIgxv4hn</a>
The Browns, meanwhile, are at a crossroads. The team is mired in a 3-12 season and will have to make a very important decision on the quarterback position in the offseason.
Normally, Deshaun Watson's struggles before his season-ending ruptured right Achilles' tendon—he threw for just 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games, completing 63.4 percent of his passes and take an unfathomable 33 sacks (and the numbers don't really do justice for how poor he was)—would have made the team's decision at quarterback fairly simple. It would be time to find a replacement.
But the Browns are on the hook for every penny of Watson's five-year, $230 million contract, which is fully guaranteed, runs through the 2026 campaign and has a full no-trade clause between 2024-26. They did rework his deal, yet again, to make it slightly more friendly to the team in future years from a salary cap perspective, though he'll still get the entirety of his guaranteed money.
Tom Pelissero @TomPelisseroThe adjustment to Deshaun Watson's contract doesn't impact his ~$73M cap number in 2025 (which can happen later). It lets the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Browns</a> spread the cap hit at the end of the contract, which expires after 2026 — a strong sign Watson will be in Cleveland two more years (at least). <a href="https://t.co/tq1wFX3Y5k">https://t.co/tq1wFX3Y5k</a>
Tom Pelissero @TomPelisseroThe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Browns</a> still owe Deshaun Watson $92 million fully guaranteed over the 2025 and '26 seasons. This isn't a pay cut or a salary conversion. It just allows Cleveland to spread the dead cap hit over two years instead of taking it all in 2027, if indeed Watson stays through 2026. <a href="https://t.co/lA96PXBGNy">https://t.co/lA96PXBGNy</a>
None of the above is keeping the Browns from drafting his successor and making Watson the most ridiculously expensive backup quarterback in NFL history, of course. But committing that much of the salary cap to dead weight severely limits the team's ability to field a contender around superstars like Garrett (it should be noted that Garrett said his comments last week weren't a dig at Watson).
Mary Kay Cabot @MaryKayCabot<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Browns</a> Myles Garrett on if he supports Deshaun Watson coming back from his Achilles to compete for the job: <a href="https://t.co/Q34yjsji9T">pic.twitter.com/Q34yjsji9T</a>
And the dominant defensive end has done his part in what has been a brutal season for the Browns, registering 41 tackles (18 for loss), 12 sacks, 26 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. He remains one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive forces.
Doug Farrar ✍ @NFL_DougFarrarMyles Garrett has every right to demand a better plan from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Browns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Browns</a>. The sheer level of disruption he's created this season while chipped and doubled, and saddled with an offense that leaves the defense with no margin for error, is ridiculous. <a href="https://t.co/1jVUoOXiEr">pic.twitter.com/1jVUoOXiEr</a>
If Cleveland is staring down a rebuild while they wait out the Watson contract, one option would be to trade Garrett to a contender, potentially getting back multiple first-round picks in the process and jumpstarting the retooling effort.
It's possible that Garrett has already seen that writing on the wall. It remains to be seen if Cleveland's front office is doing the same math.
