Browns Owner Declines Garrett Meeting

Cleveland, this is not for you.

A new wrinkle came to light in the standoff between superstar defensive end Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns Friday morning.

According to reports from NFL Network, Garrett, who made his frustration with the organization known loud and clear, made a public trade request through a written statement in February. He asked for a meeting with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, to discuss that trade request. Haslam, the reports say, shockingly declined Garrett’s appeal for a meeting.

The Browns’ owner is placing his full trust in general manager Andrew Berry to handle Garrett’s trade request, according to NFL Network. In response to the request for a meeting, Haslam directed Garrett and his representation to speak with Berry instead.

Garrett is coming off back-to-back years as an All-Pro defensive end and fourth overall since Cleveland drafted him with the first overall pick in 2017. He has two years left on the five-year, $125 million deal he signed in 2020, but the Browns have already doled out his guaranteed money.

In Garrett’s trade request, he cited his desire to join a team that can contend for a Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl as he goes into his age-30 season.

“While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent,” he wrote. “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl.

“With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”

In the month since Garrett made his request, the response from the Browns has been noisy and the same: they have no desire to ship their biggest star out of town. Most recently, Berry told reporters at the NFL combine in Indianapolis that the team “can’t imagine a situation where not having Myles as part of the organization is best for the Browns.”

The Browns have made the playoffs just two times and won one playoff game since drafting Garrett eight years ago. Cleveland is coming off a disappointing 3-14 campaign that earned the team the second overall pick in the April 2025 NFL draft.