The Browns certainly didn’t improve their roster by trading Myles Garrett, but another Cleveland great agreed with the decision. Like Garrett, Joe Thomas understands what it’s like to play without the expectation of winning. He managed to play his entire career with the Browns, never experiencing meaningful success.
While he understands how much Myles Garrett has meant to Cleveland the past nine years, especially to the fans, of which he is one, Thomas now sees the trade through the eyes of a general manager. Garrett is one of the best players in the game, but they were still losing with him. The trade helps them build something for the future.
“I’m not willing to accept the fact that we’re only allowed to think that our ceiling as Browns fans is to cheer for a player that’s having a good season”, Thomas said on SiriusXM recently, discussing the Garrett trade, as transcribed by Myles Simmons for Pro Football Talk. “I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we’re still here to try to win championships”.
In exchange for Myles Garrett, the Browns received first-, second, and third-round draft picks, as well as former first-round pass rusher Jared Verse, going into his third season. Verse is a starting-caliber player, and one figures the best is still ahead for him. And even that third-round pick could, in theory, turn into a first-rounder in an unlikely scenario.
“Yo be able to get a great young player like Jared Verse”, Thomas said of the Browns’ return for Garrett, “Getting three draft choices for Myles … As you step away from the emotion of losing Myles, you realize this puts the team in a much better situation moving forward. And it was the right decision, even though it hurts”.
For most of the past nine years, Browns fans haven’t really had much to look forward to beyond seeing Myles Garrett play well. They had Nick Chubb for a while, and maybe Quinshon Judkins could be fun to watch. But they certainly didn’t win much, which is why Garrett wanted to leave in the first place.
Of course, the Browns have had bountiful draft resources before without turning things around. They’ve even had drafts that have earned praise and still failed to make much headway, beyond wondering how good Garrett might be next season. It’s not at all clear that this will be any different.
The Browns are already coming off a highly-praised draft class, including Spencer Fano, their hope for the next Joe Thomas. They also doubled up on wide receivers with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the first and second rounds. What they didn’t add was another pass rusher to replace Myles Garrett, though that’s what Jared Verse is for.
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