After spending nine seasons anchoring the Cleveland Browns‘ defense, Myles Garrett has firmly cemented his place as the franchise player. Despite shattering multiple personal milestones, a Super Bowl ring remains missing from his resume. Heading into the next season, his name has been floating in a potential trade. As a result, the All-Pro defender has now finally broken his silence, but his words have only added a new layer of complexity to his future in Cleveland.

“Yeah. I mean, the team that drafted me, who put their hopes and aspirations into one person with the first pick, it does mean a lot,” Garrett said in a recent interview with News 5 Cleveland. “And I’m so glad and appreciative of the fact that they were willing to do that, to even make that selection. But, like I said, I just want to take it a day at a time as far as what’s happening with my offseason and going into next season. But I’m very, very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve here and the teammates and the team that we have.”

As a first-round (1st overall) pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 30-year-old has proven his worth in his nearly decade-long NFL career with the Browns. He is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year (2023 and 2025) and a seven-time Pro Bowler. He set the NFL record last season by registering the most sacks (23) for a single season by a defensive player. Additionally, he is the only player in the league’s history to manage over 12 sacks for six consecutive seasons.

While the DE was the best defensive player of the 2025 season, his team couldn’t live up to the standards he had set. The Browns finished at the bottom of the AFC North last season with a 5-12 record, failing to qualify for the postseason for two consecutive seasons.

Furthermore, during his nine NFL seasons, the franchise advanced to the playoffs only two times, never going beyond the AFC Divisional round (2020). Hence, winning the Super Bowl title has continued to be an unfulfilled goal for the legendary player.

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Back in February 2025, Myles Garrett made it clear he wanted out of the Cleveland Browns. His message was simple, as he wanted to win. But things changed quickly. Just a little over a month later, Garrett signed a massive four-year extension worth $40 million per year, including $123 million guaranteed, and stayed in Cleveland. Still, questions about the team’s future haven’t completely faded.

Garrett earlier admitted some of those early conversations with the front office only held up “maybe a little bit.” He didn’t sound bitter, though. Instead, he kept it real.

“But at the end of the day, not everything goes as planned. Everything that you want to happen [doesn’t] come to fruition. Can’t hold too much against them. It’s not like they can see the future. But, gotta worry about it next year.”

Meanwhile, the Browns’ defense held its ground this past season, but the offense struggled badly, averaging only 16.2 points and 266 yards per game, near the bottom of the league. So now Garrett is looking ahead, as he expects the team to make the right moves this offseason and take a real step forward in 2026.

Furthermore, the sharp contrast between his level of play and his team’s struggles has fueled the trade discussions in the offseason.

Multiple NFL teams eye Myles Garrett despite Browns’ commitment to franchise star

While teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots have won six Super Bowls each, the Cleveland Browns have yet to win their first. In fact, the franchise has never made a Super Bowl appearance. With that, Myles Garrett’s Lombardi Trophy pursuit seems doubtful as a Browns player.

The rumors already began last season when he reportedly requested a trade, but it didn’t happen, resulting in another dismal season with the Browns. In the current offseason, the Detroit Lions are heavily linked to the legendary Pro Bowler in a blockbuster trade deal, offering two first-round picks and wide receiver Jameson Williams in exchange.

For years, fans of the Detroit Lions have dreamed about pairing a dominant edge rusher with Aidan Hutchinson. So when a blockbuster idea involving Myles Garrett pops up, it naturally grabs attention. But the reality isn’t that simple. The money alone makes things messy. Garrett signed a massive four-year, $160 million extension with the Browns, and moving that contract would leave Cleveland with a brutal cap hit – more than $40 million in dead money if a trade happens before June 1, and even bigger financial damage if it comes later. Then there’s Detroit’s side of the equation.

The Lions are already about $6.5 million over the 2026 cap after dealing with David Montgomery and releasing Graham Glasgow. They also have young stars to pay and other roster moves to think about. Garrett’s future cap numbers only add more weight, climbing into the $30 million range before jumping even higher later in the deal. That’s a heavy commitment for a player who’ll be 31 by the end of next season.

His talent is undeniable. Almost every Lions fan would love to see him in Detroit. Still, when you step back and look at the full picture, the cost, both in money and flexibility, might simply be too steep.

Nevertheless, the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Chargers are also among the other teams showing major interest in the star defensive player. Despite the rumors, the Browns haven’t entertained the idea of letting go of Garrett, whose contract is set to last until the end of the 2030 season.