The November 4 trade deadline is fast approaching. And while most teams might not take it too seriously—still clinging to playoff hopes and unwilling to disrupt their roster—Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns seem to be on the opposite end of that spectrum. And at the center of their situation stands Myles Garrett.

There’s been no signal from the front office suggesting they’re open to trading their star pass rusher. Still, given the Browns’ ongoing struggles and Garrett’s dominant form, the question naturally arises: could they actually move him before the deadline?

But for now, let’s focus on the aftermath of that hypothetical, a scenario where Cleveland does trade Garrett. Because if that happens, the real story isn’t just about the move itself, but about what it means for the new team’s cap hit and dead cap situation for the Browns. Take a look at the new team’s cap hit over the years if the Browns trade Garrett ($179 million total, per Spotrac):

• 2025: $1.2M
• 2026: $8.1M
• 2027: $16.1M
• 2028: $21.4M
• 2029: $57.9M
• 2030: $57.9M
• 2031: $16.4M (void cap)

Translation: Garrett’s cap hit in case of a trade starts small ($1.2M in 2025) but then skyrockets to over $57M in 2029–2030. But Cleveland wouldn’t really have much to worry about those balloon years if they decided to move him, considering the new team would assume the cap hit, per Spotrac.

What would sting, though, is the dead cap. If they trade him, the Browns would take a $20.6 million hit in 2025 and a brutal $40.8 million hit in 2026 (total $61.4M). That’s the real financial roadblock here. Those numbers could cripple their salary flexibility for the next two years, especially while trying to rebuild key positions. Why?

Timing issue. If the Browns were going to trade Garrett, they should’ve done it before giving him that big new deal. Now that he’s signed and guaranteed a pretty chunk of money, trading him becomes a financial headache. Besides, the Browns’ cap hit is already a miss considering Deshaun Watson’s contract. So even if Garrett wanted out, the math doesn’t make it easy for Cleveland to pull the trigger.

Myles Garrett’s masterpiece went in vain

The Browns came into the 2025 season as one of the league’s biggest question marks. However, their defense, no doubt, has been the best in football this year. But has it actually translated into wins? Not quite, thanks to an ugly offensive side of the ball. Their Week 8 matchup against the New England Patriots told that same old story.

Garrett, after signing a four-year, $160 million contract extension, has been in a dominant form. Against the Patriots, he sacked Drake Maye five times, a franchise record for the Browns. But thanks to the offense, the Browns fell 32-13 and recorded their sixth loss of the season. Right after the game, Garrett was spotted slamming his helmet on the ground in clear frustration.

“I want to win. I don’t care how much time is on the clock; they got their starters in. There’s a chance to win, I want to be part of that,” Garrett said after the game. “I don’t care how dire the situation looks. I’m going to make something happen, so I hate coming in the situation. I hate knowing that kind of inevitability and not being able to do anything about it. I want to win, I’ll do anything.”

To put Garrett’s frustration in perspective, history was on Garrett’s side heading into Sunday’s game. Per reports, players who notched five sacks in a game had almost always come out on top. In fact, they’d gone 16-3, and even in those rare losses, the margin was never more than a field goal. But the Browns? They broke that trend in the worst way possible, falling by 19.

On top of that, the Browns are 55-84-1 since they drafted Myles Garrett in the 2017 NFL draft. Throughout this span, they’ve changed 15 quarterbacks, and the 16th appears to be on the way this season. Long story short: While Garrett’s defense has been dominant, it’s the offensive struggles that’re holding the Browns.