The Cleveland Browns are still waiting for Myles Garrett to quiet the outside noise. Instead, the star pass-rusher added another layer to it.
Over the weekend, Garrett posted a vacation video with girlfriend Chloe Kim and attached a three-word message that immediately stood out.
“Make Them Count,” Garrett wrote.
On the surface, the message could be harmless. Garrett appeared to be enjoying time away from football, and the caption may have simply been about making memories count during the offseason.
But given the wider context around Garrett and the Browns, the post is easy to read another way. Garrett is 30 years old, coming off another dominant season and has been clear that he does not plan on playing until his body gives out. He has said he has no interest in playing deep into his 30s, which makes every season from here feel more valuable.
He may also be thinking about making the rest of his prime count after spending his entire career in Cleveland with limited postseason success.
The song choice did not exactly calm things down, either. Garrett used Drake’s “Make Them Pay” in the post, with the repeated line, “I just wanna be free,” playing over the video.
Social media posts are often overanalyzed, and Garrett has not publicly said he wants out. But the timing and wording will not do much to quiet the trade chatter surrounding him.
Myles Garrett’s Absence Looms Large for Browns
The speculation around Garrett did not start with one social media post. Garrett has been away from the Browns during voluntary offseason workouts, which is not unusual for him. However, his absence has carried more weight this offseason, with a new coaching staff in place and the Browns restructuring his contract.
The contract move that has been viewed externally as something that could make a trade of Garrett easier after June 1. Cleveland has pushed back on that interpretation, but it has still fueled questions about whether the franchise would consider a blockbuster move if the right offer arrived.
Garrett also has not yet met coach Todd Monken in person. Monken said earlier this offseason that the two had only exchanged a few text messages. When asked during OTAs if he had met Garrett face-to-face yet, Monken offered a terse response.
“No,” Monken said.
Browns Shut Down Myles Garrett Trade Chatter
Garrett remains one of the NFL’s most valuable non-quarterbacks. He set a single-season record with 23 sacks last season and earned his second Defensive Player of the Year award. Moving him would be a franchise-altering decision. But the Browns have continued to insist there is nothing to see.
General manager Andrew Berry has pushed back on the idea that Garrett’s contract adjustment was made to open the door for a trade.
“If we wanted to trade Myles, we wouldn’t have needed to make a contract adjustment,” Berry said at the NFL’s annual meeting.
Berry also made Cleveland’s stance clear when asked about Garrett’s future.
“Myles is a career Brown,” Berry said.
The real test will come when the Browns host mandatory minicamp, which runs from June 9-11. If Garrett doesn’t show up then, the Browns will have a different situation on their hands.
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