Browns GM makes promise he can’t keep with Myles Garrett trade declaration

Andrew Berry is out here making promises he’s not ready to keep. Berry has failed the Cleveland Browns time and again over the last five years, including not drafting well outside of the first round. 

He co-signed bringing Deshaun Watson to Cleveland and now he’s promising to keep the best pass rusher in the NFL in Cleveland with no indication the team is going to meet Myles Garrett’s demands. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Berry told two Browns reporters, Cleveland isn't trading Garrett this offseason.

Garrett made it clear what it will take to keep him Cleveland. That would require Berry to tap into something we haven’t seen from him — common sense. Berry has the task of moving on from the rebuilding stage to the contending stage in one season, which is a tall task for any GM.

Nothing about what the Browns’ current regime has accomplished lends fans confidence they can turn this team around in one season. So Berry promising to adhere to Garrett’s demands might sound empty to Cleveland faithful. 

Andrew Berry’s stance makes it clear what the Cleveland Browns have to do in the upcoming draft

The one thing Berry did confirm without actually saying is Cleveland is not taking a quarterback with the No. 2 pick. Apparently, Berry agrees that Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward potentially taking this team to the playoffs next year is a hopeless dream. 

At best, they’ll use that pick to get Abdul Carter and get a game-changing pass rusher next to Garrett. That would bolster the defense, which was mediocre last year, and move this franchise step closer to being competitive. 

The Browns sent Za’Darius Smith to the Lions and are young on the interior of the defensive line. Carter could be to Cleveland what Micah Parson is Dallas — and with Garrett on the outside, he would be extra deadly. 

At worst, the Browns offload the No. 2 pick. If a trade is the route they decide, the return has to be massive. They should make sure to receive a good player plus picks in any trade for the coveted second pick.

The Browns have a tough decision to make about the future of this team. They don’t have the capital to get competitive in one year, and they need to be careful not to sell out for next year when competing will be difficult. 

Cleveland should at least make calls on a player like Justin Fields. I think Fields would be good for Cleveland because he can at least win some games and keep the team competitive. I think Kevin Stefanski could work with Fields and use him similarly to how they used Jameis Winston the past few years.

It’s a cheap way to solve their quarterback option, gives them way more freedom with the No. 2 pick, and allows them to make more moves for depth in critical positions. The Browns have to address the offensive line and specifically the left tackle. 

If they trade back and stockpile a couple first round picks, maybe they draft a skill player and lineman — two blue chip prospects would put them in a much better spot. Either way, Berry stating they aren’t trading Garrett pretty much confirms a quarterback at No. 2 is off the table. 

But Berry isn’t convincing. He’ll have to show us he really means what he says this offseason. Though he didn’t say it, he’s implied that Berry is going to the ends of the earth to make the Browns relevant for good reasons in 2025. What he does during free agency and the draft will determine how serious he is.