It’s easy to tie the Detroit Lions to interest in trading for Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett in the wake of the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year making his trade request public. How long the Browns will hang onto their stance about not trading him is unclear, but it’s easy to believe they ultimately won’t.
Of course trading for Garrett will be costly, perhaps combining multiple draft picks with a player along with the likelihood of a contract extension on the back end. But the Lions should not sit out of the conversation just because trading for a player of Garrett’s caliber will cost a lot. There’s a chance a team that is among their chief competition in the NFC will do what it takes to acquire him, and multiple teams of that ilk should have some interest.
Rumored asking price for Myles Garrett should not turn the Lions away
With all the conversation about Garrett that has happened the last few days, it’s no surprise his trade request led the Super Bowl week buzz column from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano.
Fowler presented some insight he gathered about what it would cost to trade for Garrett.
“People I’ve talked to about Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett’s trade market agree that his immense talent should garner at least two quality picks in return — either two first-rounders, or a first-rounder and a high-level Day 2 pick package.”
“They also agree the list of potential suitors would be condensed due to his desire to join a contender after requesting a trade. I’ve spoken to several teams that openly admit they will probably reach out to Cleveland, with the expectation that the Browns will say no to any offer. Cleveland has no plans to budge on its stance that Garrett won’t be moved.”
The Lions are surely somewhere on Garrett’s radar as a team he’d like to be traded to. They also have a need for an upgrade at edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Picking late in the first round would be automatic among the teams Garrett would like to go to. So the Lions having the 28th overall pick this year and expecting to be picking in the same area of the first round in 2026 is not a differentiator among prominent potential suitors.
If the Lions could get Garrett for one of their next two first-round picks, one of their next two second-round picks and a third-round pick in either of the next two years (they’ll get third-rounders this year and next for losing Aaron Glenn), that would be nice. It also doesn’t seem realistic.
So let’s go all the way based on Fowler’s insight. If parting with their next two first-round picks and that extra 2026 third-rounder from losing Glenn is what it takes to get Garrett, so be it and that cost is not overly prohibitive if it means going all-in with him in the fold over the next couple seasons. The idea general manager Brad Holmes is not willing to trade draft picks ignores the full reality of things.
Here’s a visual representation of the offer, which boils down to two first-round picks and another pick right around pick No. 100.
The cost Fowler presented to get Garrett should not be objectionable for the Lions. If adding a player (Hendon Hooker?) to an offer along that line would push it over the top, then let it be done.
