Only 14 months ago, Myles Garrett made a public push to be traded by the Browns. In response, the Browns did what the Browns usually do with any problem they encounter.
They threw money at it.
A market-level contract ($40 million per year) moved the boiling pot to a back burner. There’s still reason to think it could be simmering.
The truth on Garrett and the Browns is elusive. On one hand, G.M. Andrew Berry continues to call Garrett a “career Brown.” On the other hand, Garrett seems to be ready to give up a $1 million workout bonus by skipping the team’s offseason program.
Then there’s the recent contract modification, which delays the deadline for Garrett’s offseason option bonuses from the 15th day of the league year in March until seven days before the start of the regular season. Obviously, that allows the Browns to trade Garrett without paying the option bonus.
It’s hard to imagine that everything is fine. The Browns had another non-playoff season in 2025. They fired coach Kevin Stefanski. They didn’t promote defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who’s now long gone.
What does Garrett think about all of that? Maybe the answer resides in his willingness to give up $1 million.
And if the Browns really are thinking about getting the most value possible for Garrett while he has time left in his prime, the best way to maximize the return is to insist he’s not available.
Consider this: Has anyone reported that the Browns have flatly refused to take any and all calls about Garrett?
Even if they don’t trade him, the analytics-obsessed Browns view every player as an asset that, in theory, could be converted into other assets. Why would they view Garrett any differently?
Look at what the Cowboys got for Micah Parsons. Look at what the Raiders almost got for Maxx Crosby. Garrett broke the single-season sack record despite having few if any chances to pin the proverbial ears back and chase quarterbacks during pass-happy garbage time. How dominant could he be with a contending team that routinely has a second-half lead?
That’s not to say he will be traded. It’s hard to believe at this point that he absolutely won’t be.
Browns Clips
The Browns lost a good defensive coordinator this offseason when Jim Schwartz left Cleveland after being passed over as the team’s next head coach. But new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg is making a good early impression.
Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell says Rutenberg, whom players call Rudy, has energized the defense even at this stage in the offseason, when coaches aren’t doing on-field work with players.
“Rudy, off rip, he brings a lot of energy, a lot of passion,” Campbell said, via Cleveland.com. “And that’s what you want out of a D-coordinator, a guy that brings a lot of energy and passion to the group and all about team camaraderie, 11 guys playing as one on the field and rooting for each other.”
Campbell was only in Cleveland for the second half of last season, arriving in a trade, so he didn’t spend as much time in Schwartz’s defense as most of his teammates. The time he’s spending with Rutenberg, however, has been promising.
“You bring in that type of positive energy into a room, it’s so addictive and I feel like everybody around him can pick off of that energy,” Campbell said. “And that’s what you want out of a defensive coordinator, a guy that’s passionate about ball, passionate about his guys, and it’s contagious and other dudes around the room will be able to open up and reflect that same energy around the locker room.”
New Browns head coach Todd Monken had a tough decision to make when Schwartz declined to stick around. Campbell thinks Monken made the right decision.
Browns defensive end and single-season sack leader Myles Garrett has skipped the start of the team’s offseason program. That puts him on track to lose $1 million in 2026 compensation.
Garrett’s contract, a copy of which PFT has reviewed, includes a $1 million workout bonus for 2026. And while the payment is fully guaranteed, it still must be earned.
To earn it, Garrett must participate in 84.375 percent of the offseason workout sessions, participate in all minicamps, participate in all OTA days, and timely report to training camp.
Yes, he’s still making $40 million per year, on average, under his new contract. If he doesn’t satisfy the 84.375-percent minimum for the first two phases of the program and show up for all minicamps and OTA days, $1 million of his 2026 base compensation will be gone.
An unexpected scheduling change caused two NFL coaches to miss the annual meeting group photo last week. Browns coach Todd Monken was one of them, and he had some fun with it in a press conference held in conjunction with the first week of the team’s offseason program.
“I really don’t give a shit,” Monken said regarding the missed photo. “I mean, nothing to do with me. I mean, they moved the meeting. I didn’t miss it. I was just trying to get a sweet haircut. That’s what I was trying to do. And then they moved the meeting. Now you can claim that I should have been at the meeting when they moved it up and my ass would have known that’s when it was — yeah, OK, I got you.
“And was it disappointing? You bet your ass it was disappointing. Am I allowed to be head coach if I’m not in the head coach’s picture? You think with AI they could have done that quickly and got me in there? But no, it’s the way it is. It’ll be under the bridge. And what will matter most is how we move from here and do we win or not. Ultimately none of that will matter.”
He’s right. And it’s weird, frankly, that the powers that be didn’t make sure the photo was taken at a time when all coaches were present.
No, the photo doesn’t mean anything. It gives the media something to talk about for a day.
Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year. The question as the team’s offseason program began this week is: What does he do for an encore?
“Yeah, that was pretty cool,” Schwesinger said Wednesday, via Ashley Bastock of cleveland.com. “My whole family was there, which was cool to share that with all of them and just to be able to see that’s a great honor. But now I guess the mindset is just what’s next? Keep building off of it.”
Schwesinger, the 33rd overall pick in 2025, led all NFL rookies in tackles (146) and tackles for loss (11). He added 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed and 10 special teams tackles in 16 games, all starts.
He received 40 of the 50 first-place votes for Defensive Rookie of the Year, topping Giants linebacker Abdul Carter, Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, Falcons defensive end James Pearce and Falcons safety Xavier Watts.
Schwesinger insists he can improve.
“There’s a lot of things to get better at, whether it’s just the preparation throughout the week, game week and figuring out really what to watch, how to watch film and things like that,” Schwesinger said. “There’s a lot of things to get better at, whether it’s just the preparation throughout the week, game week and figuring out really what to watch, how to watch film and things like that.
“But even just at this time, whether it’s improving the football knowledge, football intelligence, right? Or just finding better ways to attack the ball and really get those punch-outs. I think that’s something really going to work on this year. Just continuing to grow in terms of patience behind the ball and being able to see things and being ready by the snap.”
Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren appears headed to being a late first-round draft pick later this month.
McNeil-Warren has become a popular top-30 visitor.
He is currently visiting the Dolphins in Miami after recent visits with the Patriots, Browns, Cowboys and Falcons, according to Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report. McNeil-Warren will head to Pittsburgh after finishing in Miami today.
McNeil-Warren earned second-team All-American honors last season when he totaled 77 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed.
Dane Brugler of TheAthletic.com ranks McNeil-Warren as his 23rd-best player in the draft, third among safeties.
The Browns are meeting with a couple of potential additions to their offense on Wednesday.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that wide receiver KC Concepcion is visiting with the team and his colleague Ian Rapoport notes that tight end Kenyon Sadiq is also in Cleveland.
Concepcion recently had arthroscopic surgery on his knee, but is expected to be ready for rookie minicamp. He caught 61 passes for 919 yards and nine touchdowns at Texas A&M last season.
Sadiq had 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns at Oregon in 2025. He’s generally considered to be the top tight end prospect in this year’s class.
It was reported earlier this week that Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was not expected to attend the start of Cleveland’s offseason program.
This is not unusual for Garrett, who set a new single-season sack record in 2025 and recently had his contract modified, as he often does his offseason training away from the team’s building.
As new head coach Todd Monken gets things going with the team, he was asked about Garrett’s absence in his Wednesday press conference.
“First of all, as I’ve said before, this is voluntary for our players to be here,” Monken said. “I think if you asked every coach in the NFL, would they like every player to be there? Of course. I think there’s certain parts of what we do from a connection standpoint that I think is important to be here, [as well as] from a schematic standpoint. From a work standpoint? Not so much. And it is our job to make it to where the guys want to be here. I mean, not just by the job, but by the development, the camaraderie, being part of a team. And hell, I’ve been a part of a team since I was five years old — there’s nothing like it. I wouldn’t miss it, because that’s me, that’s how I’m wired. But it is voluntary.
“Myles will be ready. I’m not worried about Myles.”
Garrett, 30, recorded 23.0 sacks with 33 tackles for loss and 39 quarterback hits in 2025.
The Browns recently modified the language in Myles Garrett’s contract, but General Manager Andrew Berry insisted last week that it was not done to trade the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Instead, Berry called Garrett a “career Brown.”
Garrett has made clear his discontent with the team’s losing ways.
The Browns are 58-90-1 in Garrett’s nine seasons, including 8-26 over the past two seasons.
It may mean something . . . or it may mean nothing, but Garrett is not expected to attend the start of the team’s voluntary offseason program on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports. Rapoport added that it is not a big issue or any reason to doubt his future with the club.
However, Garrett’s absence will raise questions if he continues to stay away.
He requested a trade at the start of the 2025 offseason before signing a four-year, $160 million extension a month later. Berry said last week that he believes Garrett and the team are on good terms.
The NFL will release its schedule next month, and among the games to watch are the Buccaneers’ NFC South matchups against the Falcons.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield added some spice to an already spicy rivalry after the Falcons named Kevin Stefanski their new head coach. The two men spent two seasons together in Cleveland. It apparently was one season too long.
In a social media post, Mayfield accused Stefanski of not contacting him after a 2022 trade to the Panthers, accusing the coach of treating him “like a piece of garbage.” Mayfield also pointedly said, “Can’t wait to see you twice a year, coach.”
Last week, Bucs coach Todd Bowles told Josina Anderson of the Exhibit News Network that Mayfield and Stefanski would have to decide it on the field.
“I think that’s something that they have to figure out from that standpoint since we can’t have a boxing match where they get in the ring with each other and knock each other out,” Bowles told Anderson. “You know we’re going to back our guy Baker, and I’m sure they’re going to back their coach as well. It’s a division game, so it’s already going to be a tough-fought, hard-fought game, so it just adds to it.”
Stefanski took the high road in his response to Mayfield, who has since downplayed his initial remarks.
