“Our decisions are about what’s best for the Browns — and what’s best for the Browns is to have Myles on the roster.”
INDIANAPOLIS — Despite Myles Garrett’s desire to play elsewhere, Browns executive vice president and general manager Andrew Berry says the team’s plan is to keep the All-Pro defensive end in Cleveland.
With the NFL’s Scouting Combine starting later this week, Berry spoke to reporters on Tuesday in Indianapolis for the first time since Garrett’s trade request earlier this month.
“He’s (Garrett) a huge part of our organization. He’s a really good person, an awesome player. Our stance has not changed. We can’t imagine a situation where not having Myles as part of the organization is best for the Browns,” Berry said at the start of his remarks.
Berry would not comment on teams who may have called the Browns about a Garrett trade, calling it “irrelevant to this situation because we’re not interested in moving Myles.”
“Our decisions are about what’s best for the Browns — and what’s best for the Browns is to have Myles on the roster,” he added.
On Feb. 3, Garrett released a statement saying while he’s “loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. 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.”
During appearances surrounding Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Garrett doubled down on his desire to leave Cleveland, telling ESPN’s Super Bowl Sunday NFL Countdown show that he was “willing to do whatever it takes” to make a trade to a contender work. The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year also told Rich Eisen that he spoke to Akron native and former Cavs star LeBron James about what it was like to leave Cleveland.
Garrett has two years remaining on a five-year, $125 million contract extension. He finished the 2024 campaign with 14 sacks, becoming the first player in NFL history to record at least 14 sacks in four straight seasons.
OTHER NOTES FROM BERRY
Deshaun Watson update:
Berry said, “it was too early to pin a timetable” on when the injured Browns quarterback might be able to return to the field coming off of his second Achilles surgery in January. Berry added that there was nothing “nefarious” as to how Watson re-injured his Achilles, calling it an “unfortunate accident.”
Nick Chubb’s future:
Following his remarks on the podium at the NFL Combine, Berry spoke to a small group of reporters and was asked about the future of veteran running back Nick Chubb. The 29-year-old Chubb, coming off of major knee surgery in 2023 and a broken foot last year, is set to become a free agent.
“We do expect Nick to hit the (free agent) market. Obviously, his contract is up this year. We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that, but it’s something that obviously we have to work through these next few weeks,” Berry told reporters in video shared by Mary Kay Cabot of 3News partner Cleveland.com.
Joel Bitonio’s status:
The Browns’ Pro Bowl left guard is 33 years old and has hinted at a possible retirement after a tremendous 11-year career. Berry says the team has had great dialogue with Bitonio and “we’re prepared in both situations.”
Thoughts on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, a possible pick at No. 2 overall:
“He’s a fantastic individual. He’s really smart. He’s really driven. He grew up around football and was highly successful. It’s been a pleasure to spend time with him, we look forward to spending more over the next couple of weeks, but there’s still a long way to go with everything.”