It's going to be difficult, if not impossible, to frame the decision to trade Myles Garrett as anything more than a move that could provide for a brighter future, while undoubtedly dimming the present. Teams that are hellbent on competing for the Super Bowl simply would not trade the league's best defender for, well, anything. It takes a little bit of nuance to understand the Cleveland Browns' position here.
Garrett may or may not have requested a trade behind the scenes, and as the phenom enters the season in which he turns 31 years old, the Browns were simply running out of time. Time to build a contender, time to placate a player who has previously ruffled feathers, time. That's what ultimately made a painstaking decision the right one.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry wants fans to know, however, that the team has a clear goal in 2026: winning. When he met with the assembled media, he was asked whether the decisions to extend the contracts of cornerstones Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit had anything to do with "relaxing" anyone who questioned the franchise's direction after moving on from Garrett. Berry was unequivocal in his response.
“[Relaxing anyone] really didn’t have much consideration into it," Berry said. "There are very few players in the NFL that get to third contracts now, maybe that’s changing some, as you’re seeing more second contracts be three-year terms as opposed to five-year terms. But since we’ve been here since 2020, the third-contract guys have really been Joel [Bitonio], Myles [Garrett] and now [Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit]. It’s an incredible accomplishment to get to that point, but you’ve got to be the right type of player and the right type of person.”
The Cleveland Browns are sending an unmistakable message about their intentions in 2026 and beyond
For months, Delpit and Ward have been the subject of trade rumors. Trading Myles Garrett was taken as a signal that the team was embracing a fire sale. Often, NFL teams operate a lot like Black Friday shoppers. They hear "discount" and come flocking to see if they can come away with a good deal. You can rest assured that Berry has answered more than a few calls on the team's veteran players, likely at far below their value.
If the Browns were truly embarking on yet another rebuild, they would have listened willingly and settled for the best offer they wound up receiving. Andrew Berry evidently doesn't view the team that way. The message from the organization has not strayed from the idea that the offer they received for Myles Garrett was too good to pass up.
It's easy to see how a team with a wary fanbase might dole out some big-money extensions to reaffirm their commitment to winning. Those kinds of decisions wind up hurting the franchise down the road, however, and if the team is on the trajectory fans hope they are, that would make it considerably more painful. If Berry had extended disappointments like Deshaun Watson or Jerry Jeudy, for example, fans might not be buying what the organization is selling.
By extending Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit, however, the Browns have made it clear that the franchise will continue to reward its best players. Irrespective of the video game logic of dumping every semblance of talent over the age of 25 whenever a team is lacking a proven franchise quarterback, the Browns continue to act as a team that is not far off, and they're right to do so. The roster is chock-full of talent — young and veteran.
If Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson is able to provide adequate quarterback play in 2026, then it's all gravy. If not, the Browns will be a unique environment for a rookie to step into. Instead of stepping into a franchise lacking in nearly every department — as most rookie QBs do — the Browns' next signal-caller will inherit a welcoming environment conducive to a quick turnaround.
Sometimes, we overcomplicate things. As Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones once whimsically said, "There is no use circumcising the mosquito." In other words, pay your best players — keep the simple things simple.
Add us as a preferred source on Google