Browns head coach Todd Monken says he received no assurances on Myles Garrett’s future

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said in June that he did not receive assurances about defensive end Myles Garrett’s long‑term status when he accepted the job in January. Monken noted that his contract outlined only his own terms and did not include guarantees on specific players. His remarks arrive after reports of adjusted language in Garrett’s deal that could make a trade easier for the club. Garrett, a perennial Pro Bowler, traditionally skips Cleveland’s voluntary offseason program.

Monken said coaches are tasked with working with the players in the building and reiterated that approach has not changed since his arrival. He added that roster decisions are handled by the front office and evaluated continually. Asked specifically whether he had ever been guaranteed Garrett would remain on the roster into future seasons, Monken said he had not been given such assurances when he took the job.

The coach also indicated he has not drawn distinctions between Garrett and other players during internal discussions. He emphasized that the staff prepares whoever is available and that he is not told in advance which players will ultimately make the team. That framing aligns with standard NFL practice in which personnel authority resides primarily with the general manager and club executives.

Garrett’s status has drawn added attention following reports this spring that the team and player agreed to modified contract language that could ease the mechanics of a potential trade. While no deal has been announced, the combination of that adjustment and the star defender’s customary absence from voluntary workouts has fueled outside speculation about his future in Cleveland.

Contract context and trade chatter

Modified terms reportedly expand the team’s options

Reports indicated the contract language change may provide the club with greater flexibility if it ever explored a trade, though the team has not publicly detailed the revisions. In the absence of official confirmation, the development is best viewed as optionality rather than a signal of intention. Clubs routinely adjust contracts for cap planning, contingencies or future leverage without committing to a specific move.

Against that backdrop, Monken’s comments were narrowly focused on process. He avoided projecting Garrett’s status and declined to elevate the defensive end’s situation above that of any other player. That tone underscored that, for now, nothing substantive has changed: Garrett remains on the roster, and the staff is preparing the players present for offseason work.

Front‑office control over roster decisions

Monken points to GM Andrew Berry’s ongoing evaluations

Monken referenced the club’s daily roster reviews led by general manager Andrew Berry and the personnel department. He said evaluations are continuous and encompass every position group, reinforcing that decisions on retention, trades or extensions are centralized with management. That delineation is typical across the league, where head coaches weigh in but front offices drive final roster construction.

By framing Garrett as subject to the same standards as any teammate, Monken sought to keep the conversation grounded in routine workflow rather than headline speculation. For now, the clearest takeaways are procedural: the head coach was not promised any individual player’s status upon hiring, and the organization is keeping its options open while maintaining regular offseason operations.

The Browns have not issued new public guidance on Garrett’s future. Attention will turn to training camp and preseason timelines, when player availability and any official club updates should offer a clearer read on the star pass rusher’s 2026 and beyond outlook.