The Cleveland Browns have reached an inflexion point as a franchise. Cleveland‘s blockbuster trade for embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson has backfired, and the Browns are on the hook for his entire fully-guaranteed $230 million contract. The franchise’s allergy to winning consistently could come at an even bigger cost: Myles Garrett, widely considered Cleveland’s best player, has requested a trade after eight luckless seasons with the Browns.
Garrett is an elite pass rusher, with over 100 career sacks to his name. The Browns have insisted that Garrett is not available in a trade, but most around the NFL expect Cleveland to relent eventually and kickoff a rebuild centered on the assets it receives for Garrett — in addition to whomever it selects at #2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Shedeur’s cryptic message for Cleveland
The Browns are one of the teams interested in drafting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders — even if his father and head coach Deion Sanders has issues with Shedeur’s fit on the famously-unstable Browns. Nonetheless, Shedeur is doing little to dispel rumors that he does not want to play in Cleveland, as he responded to a fan protest that took place in the wake of Garrett’s trade request.
After a 3-14 season in 2024, Cleveland needs a long-term solution at quarterback — preferably, one under a rookie contract. Sanders, who broke several Colorado passing records and led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 season in 2024, fits the bill, and the 22-year-old’s presence will make it easier for the Browns to get out from underneath Watson‘s onerous contract.
Watson, who faced more than 20 sexual harassment suits stemming from his time as a Houston Texans player, is not expected to play in 2025 after he ruptured his Achilles tendon for a second time while recovering from the original injury, sustained in October.
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