The Cleveland Browns have loudly professed their desire to keep Myles Garrett long-term, but a recent trade proposal laid out by FanSided underlines how quickly that stance could be tested now that Garrett’s contract is more tradable. General manager Andrew Berry, head coach Todd Monken and owner Jimmy Haslam have all said Garrett should remain in Cleveland, yet a restructuring that pushed back option-bonus payments has made the two-time Defensive Player of the Year a more attractive asset on the market.
Austen Bundy of FanSided assembled a hypothetical offer that would be difficult for the Browns to ignore: the Chicago Bears would send a 2026 first-round pick (No. 25), a 2026 second-round pick (No. 60), their 2027 first-round pick and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo to Cleveland, receiving in return Garrett and the Browns’ 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 206). Bundy’s package leans heavily on future high picks rather than an even player swap; Odeyingbo, coming off a disappointing season that ended with a major injury, is no proxy for Garrett’s caliber.
Garrett remains arguably the premier defensive player in football, and any realistic trade would require an extraordinary return. That calculus is complicated by a no-trade clause in Garrett’s contract, which would limit suitors to organizations he believes have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Still, the combination of elite draft capital and a starter-caliber player — as Bundy proposes — mirrors the sort of deals that have been discussed publicly around other top pass rushers in recent trade chatter, where reported asks have approached multiple first-round selections.
Bundy envisions the Browns using that haul to reload quickly. In his scenario, Cleveland could pursue a Garrett replacement in the draft — he singles out Texas Tech’s David Bailey — while using two first-rounders to shore up left tackle and wide receiver. The Browns would also retain two second-round choices to add another playmaker or draft the best available talent. Bundy points to Cleveland’s recent success finding impact players in the second round — naming running back Quinshon Judkins and offensive lineman Carson Schwesinger as examples — as evidence the team could replenish talent even after moving a franchise cornerstone.
Front office officials frequently caution that trading an elite player is not a light decision, and Berry has repeatedly framed Garrett as a cornerstone the Browns intend to keep. But the restructuring of Garrett’s deal changed the financial and practical dynamics, making a blockbuster trade a theoretical possibility if an offer were staggering enough. For a Browns roster that showed promise but remains in search of complementary pieces, the temptation of multiple first-round selections and extra high draft capital could force internal conversations the team would prefer to avoid.
Any move would also hinge on Garrett’s own preferences. A player with a no-trade clause retains substantial control over his destiny, meaning the Browns would need both a jaw-dropping offer and Garrett’s assent to consummate a deal. For now, Cleveland’s public posture remains committed to keeping Garrett; if that changes, it would likely be only for a return on the level of the package Bundy outlined.