The Cleveland Browns are officially embarking on a new era. The decision to move on from Myles Garrett on June 1 was painful but probably necessary. While the front office could get some backlash from fans, this just shows its true feelings on this team's timeline and direction.
Garrett is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and the best defensive player in the NFL. That should go without saying at this point. However, there aren't many elite pass rushers at 32 and beyond. Garrett could easily be the player who defies those odds, but he was also one snap away from an injury that could have derailed his trade value.
That's something the Pittsburgh Steelers have been too blind to see for years now. The worst part, with Jared Verse arriving in Cleveland, is the Browns may still have the best pass rusher in the AFC North. The Steelers could have gotten a similar haul in exchange for T.J. Watt, but that ship has sailed now.
Pittsburgh would likely need to give up a first round pick with TJ Watt to acquire Jared Verse.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) June 2, 2026
Hope that helps. https://t.co/PgOUm61QGO
Myles Garrett trade exposed a mistake the Steelers are still making
T.J. Watt is still a star player, but giving him a three-year, $128 million contract extension in 2025 is a decision that could come back to haunt the Steelers.
Nick Herbig's massive new deal will most likely push Alex Highsmith out the door, and with Watt's history of injuries, they might be stuck with an overpaid former star holding their once-great pass-rushing unit back. The Browns at least got a premium player with two years left on his rookie deal, plus a fifth-year option, ensuring they'll remain strong at the position for the foreseeable future.
Watt missed three games last season and finished the year with just seven sacks, and that was with defensive guru Mike Tomlin calling the shots. Those numbers likely won't drastically improve under Mike McCarthy.
The Steelers may have no choice but to ride Watt's contract out to the bitter end. No team is going to give up a premium return for 32-year-old T.J. Watt, and he'll just sink with the ship once they inevitably fail to make the playoffs in 2026. The Steelers have been kicking the can on a rebuild for at least four years, and that will have them stuck in a mediocrity spiral until they finally blow things up.
The Browns, on the other hand, may not reap the benefits of this trade in 2026, but they're at least moving in the right direction. They realized that the best path forward was to rebuild and add young pieces to their core, and they will be on the rise while everybody else in the division is likely trending downward over the next few years.
Trading Myles Garrett wasn't ideal, and if someone can beat Father Time, he's the guy. That said, this transaction was a perfect example of an organization realizing when to play the long game and when to push all the chips to the center. Sometimes, recognizing your window is the best way to manage your assets.
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