“Pay the man!”

I can remember a time not that long ago where this was a regular battle cry among Seahawks fans.

The Earl Thomas contract situation was perhaps the best example. There was practically a campaign online pressuring the Seahawks to give him a new deal. Some people were apoplectic at the idea they’d let him walk.

When he held out, fans began to pick sides.

Those of us who thought the team were right to manage their cap situation were often caught in the firing line. I’ve told the story a few times that David Mulugheta, Thomas’ agent at the time, called me to complain about an article I’d written criticising his decision to hold out.

In the end the Seahawks were proven right not to act. Just as they also were right not to rush to pay Geno Smith, despite similar calls online to make him a newly minted quarterback worthy of the status of franchise signal-caller.

The point I’m making is that for whatever reason, some people end up rooting for players to be paid the absolute most — even if it can negatively impact the team they play for. It’s as if they are personally invested in the player’s earning potential and will celebrate when they pull off what is considered a winning negotiation.

I’ve never understood this.

My main priority is for the Seahawks to win. One of the ways for the Seahawks to win is to have as much available cap space as possible to build the best team.

Instead of ‘Pay the man!’ I will always root for ‘I hope the Seahawks get the best possible deal!’ instead. Nothing about that is cold or anti-player. I want every single thing that happens involving this team to go towards improving the chances of winning on a Sunday.

In some cases, such as the Jaxon Smith-Njigba extension, it’s impossible not to commit to a record-breaking deal. When it happened I had no real emotion other than ‘I’m glad this was sorted effectively and with no drama’. The deal was done and we all move on. I was neither personally excited for JSN (he’s not lending me a tenner any time soon) nor was I disappointed that the financial commitment was eye-watering.

Keeping great players on massive contracts is part of being a winner. You need to keep your top players and when they produce like JSN has, it’s not a problem at all when they get paid top dollar.

When we aren’t talking about the best of the best at a particular position though, I’m not going to root for the player in a contract negotiation to get every cent that he can. Any money saved benefits the team.

I also think it’s slightly problematic, in some cases, that players are often advised — and encouraged by fans and media — to approach their careers through the prism of draining every drop out of a contract negotiation.

I’m sure some people will criticise Derick Hall and his representatives for the new contract he has just signed. It’s worth $15.27m in fully guaranteed money — less than the arrangement Boye Mafe has with the Bengals ($19m in full guarantees). Their contract values are significantly different — $40m vs $60m.

There’s very little doubt that Hall could and maybe should’ve got more out of the Seahawks.

For once though, let’s not just focus on money. There’s more to life than money. Especially when you’re already a multi-millionaire.

Hall is now financially secure, he’s where he wants to be, he’s playing a sport with good friends in a city where he is clearly settled, competing for a winning franchise who are currently World Champions.

Life is good.

Now imagine the alternative. He ‘gambles on himself’ and succeeds in 2026. He gets a lot more money as a free agent, preferably with another contender or by re-signing with the Seahawks. That’s the ideal situation.

In order to get to that point though he has to risk staying healthy, he has to perform and he has to wait out the situation knowing that at any time things could go horribly wrong.

Is that truly worth it to be a bit more of a millionaire, maybe, in 12 months?

I think he made the right call in all honestly. I won’t argue his team couldn’t have gotten more. They probably could’ve done. But the concept of taking a good deal now rather than betting on a great deal later isn’t getting the backing it should within the NFL community.

He can now fully commit to mini-camp, training camp, pre-season and the regular season without any fear that one serious injury will cost him a fortune. He can prepare in the exact same way he did last year, fully focused on football and not a contract battle, to try and help his team win another Super Bowl.

I couldn’t live with the crushing anxiety of knowing I’m one divot in the turf away from tearing an ACL and your whole life changing, all for the sake of potentially earning more money in the future. If he got badly hurt in training camp he’d be looking at possible prove-it deals from next year, potentially having to move around the country, playing for lesser teams, always wondering what could’ve been.

Now, all of that stress is gone. He has secured at least $15.27m in full guarantees and knows for the next few years he will be with the Seahawks — hopefully competing for more titles.

I would argue that peace of mind is priceless.

Hall clearly likes playing for this team, with his current team-mates. Why would you want to risk forcing yourself to play somewhere else for more money? Happiness is more important. Getting up every day and loving where you live and work is the life goal to end all life goals. If you make that your reality, and can be paid millions for the privilege, then why jeopardise it?

Sure — he could have a 10-sack season, go into free agency next year and get far more. Then what? End up playing for a bad team with a lot more cap space? Weaken your chances of winning? Play with people you don’t like? Live somewhere you constantly compare to Seattle and wish you were back where you were happy?

When Hall is 50-years-old and reflecting on his career, is he ever going to talk about regretting this contract negotiation? Probably not. Nobody is going to hand you an award as a player for a fantastic contract wrangle where you won the day. There’s no Championship ring engraved with ‘got $12m more in guarantees when I negotiated my second contract’.

You do get a prize, though, for winning a Super Bowl. I would argue earning a little bit less to play for a serious franchise is everything.

If the Seahawks continue to succeed, in 20 years Hall and his former team-mates will be able to get together, share stories and reflect on the great memories they made together. Hopefully that will include more than the one Super Bowl appearance.

That’s what life is about. Hall is never going to consider, “if I’d held out for the Boye Mafe deal I might have an even bigger house now” when he’s retired.

Normalising happiness, security and a chance to succeed over getting as much as you can is something that I think would be a positive change — even if it’s just in the case of the rare exception, like this one, where we just celebrate Hall’s decision rather than critique it.

It’s so important for players to have the freedom to enjoy their careers rather than feel pressure to max out their earning power. I’m sure the league is full of players who are richer yet living with regret.

Edge Derick Hall and the Seahawks reached agreement today on a three-year, $42 million extension that could be worth up to $46.5 million and includes $21 million guaranteed, per his agents Chad Berger and Ezra J Thompson. Hall is now under contract to Seattle the 2029 season.… pic.twitter.com/LqWAwcseLN

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2026

It’s great news for the Seahawks for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the numbers look extremely team-friendly. If Derick Hall takes a big step forward in 2026, they’ll have him under solid club-control and won’t be forced into paying a huge salary. Secondly, it speaks to Hall’s commitment to the team and his willingness to simply get this done rather than have a long protracted negotiation or gamble on himself. There won’t be any future drama or second-guessing and he’s now established as a key figure within Seattle’s defense.

For me, Hall is the heir-apparent to DeMarcus Lawrence. He is the player who can take on that spot long-term.

It follows Abe Lucas making a similar move a year ago. There is a strong inner-bond between the players on the team and they clearly want to be in Seattle.

Now they can focus their attention on getting an extension done with Devon Witherspoon — a situation that will almost certainly be resolved sooner rather than later.

Also — I went on KJR today to discuss DeMarcus Lawrence. Check it out below:

My initial reaction to today’s blockbuster trade is this — if Matthew Stafford and Myles Garrett stay healthy, it’s very difficult to imagine anyone but the LA Rams winning the Super Bowl next season.

An already highly successful team just acquired one of the greatest players ever to play the game. Garrett isn’t any old impact player — he’s a one-man game-wrecking machine. At times he is unstoppable.

It’s a scary thought to imagine what a player who can tally 23 sacks for the Browns, with little in the way of support, could do playing for a legit contender who will often be leading in games with a better supporting cast.

This is a huge statement of intent by the Rams and frankly, a superb move. They deserve a ton of credit for making it happen.

The compensation is a steal. A first round pick in 2027, a 2028 second rounder and a 2029 third rounder — plus Jared Verse.

Unfortunately for the Seahawks, it already gives off vibes of being the kind of ahead-of-the-curve thinking that landed San Francisco blue-chippers in Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey.

The Rams were clearly in win-now mode even before this trade. They want to max-out the last year or two of Stafford’s career. Who knows how long Sean McVay will want to carry on for? Now they have a legit 1-3 year window where they can go all-in.

The aim will be to win at least one Championship in that period. Who’d bet against them doing it? These are the kind of difference-making deals that get you over the line. The Rams will start next season as red-hot favourites.

Garrett is the walking embodiment of a generational player. When you combine his game-wrecking skills with McVay and Stafford on offense, it’s a terrifying cocktail. We just need to be honest and admit this isn’t a good day to be a Seahawks fan.

It’s why I’m very grateful for last season. They won a Championship when the optimal opportunity emerged. There’s no great, heaving pressure to do it again. That would exist had they missed out last season.

Yet the reality is the Seahawks, as with everyone else in the NFC, will now have to deal with a juggernaut.

I have no negative feeling towards the Seahawks for not getting this done themselves. I think it’s clear the Browns are taking the Quinn Hughes approach. They wanted a young talent as much as the picks. Hughes got the Vancouver Canucks one first rounder, three players including another talented young defender in Zeev Buium and other, lesser, draft compensation.

The Seahawks likely would’ve had to sacrifice one of Byron Murphy or Devon Witherspoon to do this and that was never going to happen. Even then, the Browns might’ve still preferred the EDGE rusher.

Verse is a good-not-great player. The Rams could very realistically dangle him with picks to get this done. It works for both LA and Cleveland in that regard — although if I were the Browns, I would’ve hoped for a bit more in the way of draft stock coming back.

I don’t think the Seahawks will be rushing out to make a counter move. Being reactive like that would be overly emotional and ill-advised. I’m sure they’ll still linger in the background if Maxx Crosby becomes available again — but I wouldn’t anticipate any big splash being on the horizon.

They do have to be somewhat wary, though, that they too are in a window here. They don’t want to squander it by being too conservative. In the case of Crosby and now Garrett, I don’t think they had much shot of getting it done. In the future, though, they should be as prepared as the Rams have been to push the envelope.

I’ll be doing a live stream at 2pm PT discussing the trade:

The video of DeMarcus Lawrence running out for OTA’s, combined with accompanying quotes from the player stating he won’t be retiring, produced arguably the most significant moment of Seattle’s off-season today.

Lawrence was a revelation last season. He produced several key plays. He scored touchdowns. He enabled the Seahawks to rush with four and still have enough size and physicality to defend the run.

He provided immediate alpha energy to the defense, with added experience and leadership.

I’m convinced the Seahawks don’t win the Super Bowl without Lawrence.

I think he’s the most significant free agent signing in my 20 years following the team. Having him next season is huge and an understated factor. You couldn’t replace him without making some enormous splash. It’s not just about sacks or the plays he specifically makes. It’s the complete package he provides.

It seems increasingly obvious to me that winning teams require veteran leadership and toughness of the highest level.

I think gradually the Eagles might come to realise their loss when, by 2027, they look at a roster without any of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce or Lane Johnson. All were high quality players but even in their latter years when their influence had perhaps waned slightly, they set the tone. The Eagles played in three Super Bowls during their era, winning two.

With players like Lawrence, Jarran Reed and Cooper Kupp — the Seahawks similarly have players who are nearing the end of their careers. Yet they just offer so much beyond whatever it says in the box score.

For Kupp it could be the calming presence he provides on offense, his ‘lead by example’ professionalism, the savvy play on third down or the advice he can give to the younger receivers or the quarterback.

With Reed and Lawrence — they are often the pair barking at team mates in the tunnel, leading the pre-game speech, providing the physicality up front week after week that will make opponents not want to play this team.

Lawrence’s quotes are indicative of the chemistry that has developed within this team — another key factor for success. “I had the most fun I’ve ever had playing football last year. So just taking all of that into consideration, knowing what I’d be leaving behind, the chances (of retirement) were very slim.”

This kind of culture is hard to create, as much as every team intends to do it. The Seahawks have struck gold by harnessing the collective they have in the locker room and within the staff.

I also think it’s a good thing that Lawrence will have another year helping Derick Hall, the most likely heir-apparent for the long-term on the roster, take another step forward.

Seattle’s D-line depth and talent is as critical to their success as anything. With Dante Fowler replacing Boye Mafe, they have a chance to retain what worked so well last season.

Even if a big trade opportunity arises in the coming weeks or months — the Seahawks can feel very confident about their chances in 2026 with D-Law confirming his return.

It was the news many of us have been waiting for.

It was with a great deal of interest that I saw Albert Breer suggest “this could just be time” for the Browns to negotiate a Myles Garrett trade.

Breer is connected. He isn’t explicitly saying here that Garrett will be moved — but it’s at least a little bit of a separation from the persistent media messaging that the Browns are not interested in a deal.

When his contract was adjusted earlier this year, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realise the situation had shifted. There was no obvious reason for doing that, other than it made it easier to trade him if they wanted to.

It would make sense for the Browns to consider this the right time.

They are reaching the point of no return in terms of trade value. Garrett turns 31 in late December. His value is still very strong off the back of a record-breaking 23-sack season in 2025. They can realistically still expect to get multiple first round picks in return for Garrett, despite his age.

This might be the final time they can do it, though. Even if he had, say, a 12-15 sack season this year, the numbers would be declining as the age grows. The Browns will never again have as much leverage as they have right now.

Multiple teams have positioned themselves to plan for the 2027 draft. It is expected to be rich in talent at the top end with depth at quarterback too. The Jets have three first round picks. Others, like the Cardinals and Dolphins, appear to be embracing a struggle in 2026 to benefit in the long term.

The Browns have 10 picks next year but they only own their original selections in the first three rounds. Seven of their picks are set for day three.

They have an uncertain future at quarterback and multiple needs across the roster. With a new Head Coach, they appear to be embracing a reset of sorts.

Trading Garrett would secure additional stock. They could use their most tradable asset to set themselves up for the long haul. Moving Garrett would also — if we’re being honest — sufficiently weaken the team to give it the best chance of being bad enough to pick very early.

They’re planning to open a new stadium in 2029. Surely the goal has to be to spend the next three seasons preparing to enter the new arena with a strong overall roster? Keeping Garrett, continuing to be a bad team with one legendary player, and not gaining additional draft stock makes no sense.

Setting the table for a trade this summer would be entirely appropriate for the Browns, even if it would be painful for a long-suffering fan-base. They have to do it though. They have to at least try and build a new, younger foundation with 2029/2030 in mind.

Heck, look at the Seahawks. They embraced trading Russell Wilson. That worked out well, even if many fans feared the worst at the time.

Curtis Allen brilliantly laid out a blueprint for why a move to Seattle is possible and could be appealing to Garrett. I would highly recommend reading that article.

There are pro’s and con’s to the Seahawks making this deal.

On the one hand, acquiring Garrett would terrify the NFL. A defense as excellent as Seattle’s gaining a player of his quality would be a mouth-watering prospect for the Seahawks. Imagine the unit suddenly having an unstoppable force working the edge — one of the all-time great game-wreckers.

That’s also part of the dilemma. I think you can forget his age. This would be a rare opportunity to acquire one of the best players to ever feature in the NFL. Even if you’re only possibly guaranteeing another 3-4 years of top-end performance, the price-tag in a deal will be astronomical.

I think it’ll take three first rounders. So you then have to weigh up the idea of gaining three cost-effective young players over the next three seasons, when you’ll need to replace some key ageing elements of the roster, versus having one proven, sure-thing, legendary talent who can maximise a wide-open Championship window.

Would a Godzilla-sized trade have a negative impact on the carefully crafted, ‘MOB’ mindset the Seahawks have? Would inviting in one the biggest of big names, not to mention biggest contracts, upset the dynamic at all? After all, the Seahawks won a Super Bowl without Garrett and will expect to be strong again in 2026 without any further additions.

Alternatively, a move for Garrett could be as exciting for his new team-mates as it would be for fans. It’d certainly make life easier for the other defenders who get to play with him — and would give the players in Seattle further opportunities to both win and max-out their own earning potential.

You also have to think about another team in the NFC getting him instead, and how you’d feel about that. The Browns will very likely want him out of the AFC.

I think Garrett being as good as he is, and with sufficient talent already on the roster, plus a front office capable of finding players in the draft outside of the first round, the Seahawks could justify making a huge splash.

I’d look at it this way. The 49ers blew three first round picks on Trey Lance and survived. They remained competitive.

I think the Seahawks could do the same even if a move for Myles Garrett ultimately didn’t pan out. They have a quarterback, weapons, young talent on both lines and good defensive players at every level. They could be unstoppable with him — and still really good if he got injured or if his play suddenly regressed.

With that in mind, I’d seriously consider it if the Browns really are thinking it’s time to do a deal.

They’d be creating a 3-5 year window to try and add at least one more Super Bowl, creating a legendary era of Seahawks football.

There’s no other trade that could move the needle quite like this would.

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

One of the most intriguing storylines this offseason has been the relationship between Myles Garrett and the Browns.  Far too many of the clues leading to the idea that a trade is a possibility are being brushed aside by the media in general.

If he truly is available, the Seahawks – and the thirty other NFL teams – will be very interested.

Decoding some of the clues and looking at his fit will help us discern if pursuing Garrett makes sense for the Seahawks.

Why He Might Be Available

After publicly demanding a trade in 2025, the Browns convinced Garrett to stay by signing him to a massive contract extension.  He promptly turned in a monster season, breaking the all-time record for sacks and winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, while the team around him limped to a 5-12 record.

The Browns fired Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and hired Todd Monken, prompting Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz – whom Garrett had endorsed as his choice for the head job – to quit.

Monken recently said that he has not had any contact with Garrett this offseason.  At all.

By avoiding the voluntary portion of offseason workouts, he is putting a $1 million workout bonus in jeopardy.  While that is not a major financial hit to Garrett, it should be noted that it is one of the highest workout bonuses in the NFL.  The Browns clearly want Garrett onsite in the offseason.

However, the biggest clue that a trade may happen came earlier this year in March, when Garrett and the Browns agreed to a very intriguing contract adjustment.

The initial contract had included a March trigger date for a $29.2 million option bonus and both parties agreed to move that date almost six months out to September 1.

This makes Garrett tradable this summer.  Let me explain.

Garrett already has $41 million in signing bonus money on his contract that would become dead cap should he be traded.  If the $29.2 million option bonus had triggered in March, that number would have ballooned to $70.2 million, making him untradable.

It is not the dead cap number preventing the trade, it would be the cap hit.  The Browns’ 2026 available cap space would have dropped by an astounding $46 million, putting them so far over the cap they would have no mechanism to create enough room to be cap compliant (the Browns have leveraged a bunch of contracts already and still have almost half of Deshaun Watson’s disastrous $230 million contract to account for on the cap).

By moving the trigger date to September 1, the Browns now have the option to trade Garrett, absorb only $41 million in dead cap (as the new team would be responsible for the $29.2 million option), as well as splitting the dead money over 2026 and 2027 due to being a post-June 1 trade.

The Browns would pick up around $8 million in cap space by trading Garrett after June 1.

However, if Garrett is a Brown on September 1, the trigger hits and he once again becomes untradable.  Even a deal at the trade deadline is off the table.

Therefore, there is a three-month window to trade Garrett this offseason, from June 2 to September 1.

Browns’ General Manager Andrew Berry refuses to explain the reasoning behind the adjustment and would prefer not to talk about trading Garrett.  It does give the team a little more cash flow flexibility but it also kicks the door wide open for a potential Garrett trade.

Here is the kicker though: to adjust the contract, Garrett and his agents had to agree to it.  What possible reason would there be for Garrett to agree to moving a trigger date for $29.1 million from March to September?  No one has been able to explain why and this angle seems to have gone largely unexplored.  Players do not agree to contract concessions that large without something big in return.  They just do not.  And much less immediately after recording one of the all-time great seasons of play in NFL history. 

Garrett does get some money from this adjustment in 2029 and 2030 a bit earlier due to converting some salary to $8 million in roster bonuses — but that is peanuts in the grand scheme of things and three years away.

There can only be one obvious conclusion:  Garrett agreed to this adjustment to facilitate a trade.

This is all reminiscent of the saga between the Seahawks and Russell Wilson in 2021 and 2022 that led to him being traded to Denver: a public leak by the player discussing a potential trade, followed by a smoothing over by the team.

In the following year, stringent denials by the team that the player is on the trade block, with the bulk of the local media and fans parroting the team’s public position on the player while denying there are columns of smoke billowing out of team headquarters.

Regardless of what the Browns are saying publicly, the 31 other teams can discern from the signs:  Garrett is available for the right price.

Trade Compensation

So, what is the right price?

Three first-round picks are the general cost bandied about among pundits and commentators.

I would argue that Garrett can be had for less than that.  Why?

Micah Parsons was traded for two firsts and Kenny Clark last year.  He was 26 years old.

Khalil Mack was traded to the Bears in 2018 for two firsts.  He was 27 years old.

I think we all can agree that Garrett is superior to those two players.  But he is 30 years old.  Those three or four prime years that have already passed can cap his trade value to a package similar to what Dallas and Oakland received for their superstar rushers.

There is also another factor that can keep the trade compensation in an earthly realm:  Garrett’s last extension included a full no-trade clause.  He can pick his next team.  At the very least, he can keep a moderate lid on an all-out bidding war by limiting the number of teams he will accept a trade to.

Granted, we do not know what teams and cities appeal to Garrett.  But it is not hard to imagine that a team like the New York Jets – armed with three first-round picks next year and hungry to make a splash – would likely not be a preferred destination for Garrett.  In pure football terms, going from the Browns to the Jets would simply not appeal.

For the Seahawks, would first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 along with say a third-round pick in 2027 get the deal done?  They might have to stretch that far to get a deal over the finish line.

Softening the blow is the Seahawks are set to have eleven picks in 2027.  Trading a first and third would reduce that to nine picks (there is still an opportunity to add 2027 & 2028 picks should Nolan Teasley and Aden Durde get top jobs with other teams).

There is an easy argument to be made that adding the best defensive player in the NFL and still having nine picks in a strong 2027 draft is right in John Schneider’s wheelhouse.

It also would serve as an effective hedge against a potential talent drain in 2027 at Defensive Line, with Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu as Free Agents and DeMarcus Lawrence potentially retiring.

Another argument in favor for pursuing a trade is to keep Garrett from going to a rival team.  Very likely the Browns would want to trade him out of the AFC and teams like the Eagles, Niners and Rams would surely line up to get a shot at him.

It is very believable that the Seahawks could pursue a trade of this nature.

Even more so when you consider the salary cap and cash implications.

The Financial Impact is Very Appealing

The team acquiring Garrett inherits this contract:

Just look at those cap hits for the first three years.  $46 million for three years of the best pass rusher in the game.  And if you want to consider the cap space “saved” by trading two firsts and a third in, that number drops to about $34 million.

None of those cap hits will inhibit the Seahawks in any way.  They can look to extend other players without having to make any very tough decisions until 2028 or 2029.

However, one of the ‘team rules’ they will have to break to make this happen is to acquire a contract with five years left on it.  The benefits secured would make it a very palatable exception but it must be weighed as a factor.

When you consider the excellent salary cap shape John Schneider has the team in, this structure and cost is almost too good to be true.

Of course, this is assuming the Seahawks have assurances that Garrett is happy with his contract.  Last year he signed a deal worth $40 million AAV and now has five players making more annually than him, led by Will Anderson Jr’s recent extension valued at $50 million.

It would be an open question if Garrett would accept his current contract at face value – now and well into the future – in order to facilitate a trade.  A deal could easily be scuttled if Garrett will want annual raises that keep him at the top of the pay scale.  There is a reason the Seahawks’ cap situation is so good – they don’t wreck their cap structure for one player.

The other financial consideration is the cash money spent.  The Seahawks currently sit at #15 in the NFL and that ranking will rise if/when extensions for Devon Witherspoon and Derick Hall are reached.  With those two extensions, they may have reached their budget ceiling for cash spent in 2026.

What would picking up this Garrett contract as-is mean for cash outlay in 2026?  About $19-20 million.  Joel Corry has the details of the payment plan on the $29.2 million option that triggers on September 1:

— $12 million due Nov 1

 — About $5 million paid in the 2026 season in weekly payments

The balance of the option is paid in 2027 – a new budget year.

That is on top of the $2.3 million in salary and Per Game Bonuses paid in 18 game-check installments.

It is very flexible.  Still, when you have already committed a whopping $336 million in cash – and probably another $40-60 million for the Witherspoon and Hall extensions – another $19-20 million may just be a bridge too far.

John Schneider would have to be convinced that this move is for the team’s best interest and would need to propose some extra cash be allocated for this acquisition (possibly foregoing his annual trade deadline deal to make this happen).

One consideration that could make this cash spend a little more palatable:  at this moment in time, we still do not have a definitive answer on DeMarcus Lawrence’s status.  If he decides to retire a champion, that opens up $9.5 million in cash and cap space, effectively cutting in half the requirement to fund a Garrett acquisition and nicely filling Lawrence’s role on the defense.

So overall, the acquisition is a slam dunk on the salary cap side but some work would need to be done on the cash side.

One more piece of the puzzle needs to be explored.

How Would Garrett Fit in Seattle?

This might be both the biggest factor and the biggest unknown.

For years, Garrett has been a lone wolf in Cleveland.  The undisputed leader and best player on the team.  He has faced constant double-teaming and fought through them with great success.

Has that mindset ingrained itself so deeply in Garrett’s play psyche that he may not be adequately able to adapt to Mike Macdonald’s constant ‘all-for-one and one-for-all’ play style?

In 2026, Garrett personally out-sacked the three best Seahawk pass-rushers (Murphy, Williams and Nwosu each had 7 sacks) 23 to 21.  Yet the Seahawks fielded a fantastic defense, predicated on unselfish line play to keep the uncertainty of ‘where is the rush coming from’ alive.

To be fair, Garrett is regularly praised by his teammates and coaches for his relentless work ethic and example on the field.  His fellow defensive players regularly express gratitude that he makes their lives easier by his dominant play and he obviously did not let his public trade request last year effect his play – quite the opposite in fact, raising his game to another level.

But can Garrett go from being the unquestioned Alpha in the Browns’ locker room to fully adopting the “M.O.B.” mentality in Seattle?  Does he grasp the concept of ‘earning’ his pass-rush opportunities by consistently setting the edge in the run game and regularly stunting to set his teammates up with opportunities?  Will he agree with occasionally dropping in coverage to allow a schemed-up Ernest Jones Jr or Nick Emmanwori to blitz effectively?  Would Garrett’s affection for Jim Schwartz – a tough, demanding and aggressive coach – translate easily with Mike Macdonald’s style?

And as discussed above, could he do all of that while regularly being out-earned by other pass rushers over the next 3-4 seasons?

Put another way, is he ready for a different phase of his career?  One where money, personal stats and singular attention mean less and winning regularly, playing meaningful football in December and competing for championships mean more?

These questions are hard to answer.

I would dare say that John Schneider and the Pro Personnel arm of the franchise would spend just as much time getting confident answers to those questions as they would negotiating the trade with the Browns.

That said, one big factor in favor of a trade is this:  Garrett’s no-trade clause means he would have to choose to come to Seattle.  As long as he understood up front the team-first pay and play implications, the pathway for a trade could be clearer than we realize.

On the whole, exploring a Myles Garrett trade definitely has merit.  The trade and salary cap cost are well within an acceptable range.  The cash budgeting aspect is an obstacle that can possibly be overcome.  And if the team and player can gel on their philosophies, this could be a blockbuster of epic proportions that could propel the team to dynasty-levels of success.