Just when you think it can’t be any tougher to be a Cleveland Browns’ fan, they give you another reason to be irritated.
Of course, they will still monopolize the sports media in northeast Ohio because people in this area can’t help themselves. We don’t have a solution except to stop talking about them or stop buying tickets and merchandise, but as we know, both of the sports talk stations in the area are “Home of the Browns”, so there’s that.
The team traded the best defensive player in the history of the franchise in Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse, a first round pick in 2027, a second rounder in 2028, and a third round choice in ’29. Likely, all of those picks will be lower because unlike the Browns, the Rams are a successful organization. They actually win football games.
For the Browns and their ownership, it’s yet another excuse to not win in 2026. No one expects a playoff appearance after trading a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a surefire Hall of Fame player.
Verse is a good player, getting 4.5 sacks as a rookie, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and followed that up with another 7.5 sacks last season. He’ll be 26 years old this upcoming season and along with Carson Schwesinger, gives Cleveland the last two best rookie defenders.
But really, we are of the belief that trying to improve by dealing your best player, particularly a great player such as Garrett, is never a good idea. We know the “draft choices are everything” folks will disagree, but what are the odds that Verse or any of the draft picks involved becomes anywhere near the player Garrett is? Slim if not zero. How exactly does that make you better?
It always comes back to the Browns’ quarterback obsession. They are convinced the only way to get a great quarterback is to stink and get a high draft pick, even though if you look at the best QBs in the NFL, there aren’t many who came into the league that way.
They had the first pick in the draft in 2018 and took Baker Mayfield, who has been a solid starter and if entering his ninth year as the Browns’ starter. Oh, that’s right, they traded him after four seasons.
Let’s remember how many people spoke glowingly of the quarterbacks who were to be available in the 2026 draft, and in the end, only two were taken in the first round. What’s to say that won’t happen again in next spring’s draft?
And we would add, why not get to the point where you are a good QB away from being a playoff team and then go out and trade future picks to get the guy?
So, over the last six years, in order to find the QB they so desperately want, they have made probably the worst trade in NFL history and traded the best defender in Browns’ history. We have written about the other successful teams around the league and the path they’ve taken to contend for and win Super Bowls.
Find another story that mirrors the Browns.
As for the argument that the Browns had to deal Garrett because he didn’t want to play here, whose fault is that? The front office has put together mostly mediocre teams and in the past few seasons had a top of the league defense accompanied by an offense that couldn’t score more than 17 points per game.
Maybe the Browns will surprise people and contend for a playoff spot this year. A more likely scenario is they will come up with a new reason (we have a rookie QB?) for not being able to win in 2027.