The star defender has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.

One day after one of the wildest trades in NBA history, trade winds also started picking up in the NFL. Myles Garrett, a six-time All-Pro and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.

Arguably the best defensive players in the league today, Garrett will likely be a popular target in case the Browns decide to honor his request. The New England Patriots, a team with vast resources both in terms of draft capital and salary cap space, could be among the teams pursuing the 29-year-old.

The Patriots, frankly, need of all the talent they can get their hands on after winning just eight combined games over the last two seasons. And talent is very much what Garrett has to offer.

So, should New England go after him? Let’s break down the arguments for and against such a move.

Why the Patriots should pursue a Myles Garrett trade

Generational talent: The Pro Bowl is more of a popularity contest than an accurate measurement for success in the NFL, but it still shows which players have managed to established themselves among the league’s best. Garrett has made the Pro Bowl six times in his career, the most for any first overall draft pick since Peyton Manning in 1998. This is not the only reason why he is a generational talent, but it serves as an illustration just how impactful he has been despite playing on some underwhelming Browns teams though the years. Players like that becoming available while still in their prime rarely happens.

Proven production: Garrett entered the league in 2017, and with the exception of his rookie year has managed to record double-digit sacks each season. He is leaving the 2024 campaign, and possibly his Browns tenure, with a total of 103.5 quarterback takedowns in a combined 120 regular season and playoff games. The volume of sacks alone is impressive, but so is the fact that he has managed to produce at a steady level year in and year out — something the Patriots have not seen from any of their defenders since Matthew Judon’s 38-game stint in New England (and even he was more up-and-down than Garrett).

Filling a major need: The Patriots’ outside linebacker position was a major concern last season, and remains so heading into 2025. Outside of Anfernee Jennings, who is a far better run defender than pass rusher, the team was unable to find consistent production on the edge — contributing to New England’s defense dropping from 19th to 29th in the league in pressure rate between 2023 and 2024. Adding Garrett would only be part of the solution, but a big one: he would fill the shoes previously worn by the since-traded Matthew Judon, and then some.

Leadership: The Patriots’ efforts to rebuild their defense cannot stop on the field; leadership, particularly under a new head coach, also will factor into any decisions being made this offseason. That also speaks for Garrett as a potential New England target: he has been voted a captain by his Browns teammates seven years in a row, and has been a tone-setter for the club in the locker room as well as on the gridiron itself.

Rising tide lifting all the boats: Garrett is one of the most disruptive players in football both as a run defender and a pass rusher, and somebody opposing offenses need to pay special attention to. This, in turn, would make life easier for New England’s other defenders across the board. Just look at it from this perspective: a defensive line headlined by Garrett, Christian Barmore and Keion White would have the potential to create some serious problems in the passing game, while also offering serious upside versus the run.

Mike Vrabel connection: Following his firing from the Tennessee Titans, new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel joined the Browns as a consultant. While he may not have worked directly with Garrett as a result of that, he still worked in close proximity to the organization’s best player. Vrabel has shown that familiarity is important to him, as evidenced by his coaching hires so far this offseason, and if that extends to the players Garrett would be one of the first to come to mind.

Why the Patriots should not pursue a Myles Garrett trade

Counterintuitive move: Ever since Eliot Wolf took over as the Patriots’ de facto general manager, the organization has tried to follow a “draft and develop” model of roster construction. Naturally, draft picks are key to that strategy — which is precisely why trading for Myles Garrett might be a tough sell internally. In order to acquire him, the fourth overall pick plus other assets would likely change hands. There is an argument that Garrett is one of the few players actually worth that price, but it still might be too steep for a New England team following a different team building plan.

Contractual outlook: From a contractual standpoint, acquiring Garrett via trade would be feasible: his cap hit in 2025 would be only $4.96 million, and there would be no remaining guarantees in a contract set to void in 2027. Obviously, though, the story is not that simple: Garrett would likely be looking for a new deal to be compensated among the top defensive linemen in football — a process that should be expected to result in him targeting Nick Bosa’s average of $34 million per season. With a quarterback on a rookie contract and the salary cap going up annually, that would be possible. The question is: would it make sense for New England given the state of its rebuild?

Age: Garrett has shown no signs of slowing down, and he should be expected to keep performing at a high level for the foreseeable future. However, the Patriots investing serious draft/player capital plus a top-of-the-market contract in a player set to turn 30 during the upcoming season would still come with a certain risk.

Three to tango: The Patriots may or may not have an interest in going after Garrett, but they are not the only ones making the call on the move. For it to work to everyone’s satisfaction, the team would also have to get both the Browns and Garrett’s camp on board. The former have not shown any signs that they are willing to move him, while the latter has indicated he wants to join a winner — something New England at this stage in its development is not. If the team senses that going after Garrett is a losing proposition, there would be no need to invest time and resources in trying to set something up.

As can be seen, there are more arguments in favor of a trade than not. However, the weight of those is not evenly distributed. The focus on drafting and developing, for example, might be a lot more important for the Patriots than acquiring a player who has a preexisting history with their new head coach.

At the end of the day, New England’s brain trust will have to filter through all the information to come to a conclusion. There is no denying, though, that adding a proven commodity such as Myles Garrett — again, he might be the best defensive player in the league — would be a massive get for the team and instantly upgrade its defense.

From that perspective, parting ways with the fourth overall pick plus some players such as QB Joe Milton and LB Jahlani Tavai would not be as unrealistic as it might initially sound. Again, however, there are more factors at play both in New England and with the other parties involved.

For the time being, all that is left for those on the outside looking in is therefore speculate. Should the Patriots pursue Garrett if the Browns indeed gave in to his trade request? Or should they steer clear of him? Please head down to the comments to discuss.