Garrett has been a cornerstone for the Browns to build on since being drafted first overall in 2017. His presence and contribution have been invaluable to an organization continually lacking foundational stability ever since Michael White was mayor.

And like the White administration, the 2024 NFL trade deadline has come and gone and not enough has been done to improve the outlook for Cleveland’s future. So how would trading away the reigning Defensive Player of the Year help the fortunes of the franchise?

When teams trade top players it’s frequently part of a teardown, with the idea being that acquiring draft picks is the first step toward rebuilding a team. Draft picks result in cheap rookie contracts. As those young players develop, unspent salary cap space can be rolled over to subsequent years.

Once a team is on the cusp of contention, owners willing to spend money hand the checkbook to the general manager for filling out the roster with experienced free agents who can lead by example in showing what it takes to be successful at the highest level. This is how well-run organizations effectuate team construction.

One thing Browns fans have been able to be confident about for the past few years is that the Haslams aren’t light in the wallet or shy about getting elbow deep in it. Whether or not GM Andrew Berry should be trusted to use it wisely in putting back together what’s clearly broken is something that will need to be addressed.

But right now we’ll look at what Garrett’s value would have been on the open market at the deadline, in Part 2.

—@PoisonPill4