All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett is giving the Cleveland Browns an ultimatum, and it is clear that it revolves around quarterback Deshaun Watson’s future.
Garrett told the media that he wants a detailed plan from the Browns this offseason about how they plan to stay competitive. He vehemently stated that he has no plans to be involved in another Cleveland rebuild.
When asked if he could see himself playing elsewhere, Garrett is holding the Browns accountable:
“I mean, it’s a possibility. But I want to be a Cleveland Brown. I want to play here. I want to end my career here. But if we choose to do a rebuild and it’s two, three, four years out, I want to be able to compete and play at a high level, play meaningful games and be playing past January.”
But what about what he said points to Watson? Let’s follow some of the quotes that Garrett said to the media:
Regarding whether or not he wants a plan from the Browns at the quarterback position: “Absolutely.”
Another interesting quote about the amount of money the Browns have spent on players, and perhaps who they are paying big money to: “Names on paper don’t win games… Dollar signs don’t win football games.”
The Browns got bottom-two quarterback play from Watson this season and that has been most of what they’ve gotten from him since he came to Cleveland and served his 11-game suspension. Make no mistake about what Garrett is saying and doing here.
He is holding the Browns accountable for the messy situation they created by trading for Deshaun Watson. And he wants to make sure he and his teammates don’t have to endure another year of it.
If the Browns are going to listen to anybody, it had to be their best player and community figure in Garrett. Smart enough to know it needed to be him, Garrett stepped up to the plate for the rest of the locker room.