The Cleveland Browns’ star pass rusher Myles Garrett publicly requested a trade last week. Now, they must come to a difficult decision on their franchise player after face planting to a 3-14 record in 2024.
Garrett said in a statement that he would like to be elsewhere by the start of the 2025 season as competing for a Super Bowl has become his sole priority.
“As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl – and that goal fuels me today more than ever,” Garrett wrote. “While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl.
“With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Garrett, 29, has recorded seven consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks, including four straight with at least 14. A five-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, he enters the offseason as the reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Plenty of speculation on Garrett’s landing spot has swirled the web ever since Garrett’s request was released, but Mason Cameron of PFF projects the Detroit Lions to add Garrett into the fold after falling short in the NFC Divisional Round.
“The Lions would likely jump at the chance to add Garrett to bolster their pass rush and create the most lethal pairing in the NFL with Aidan Hutchinson,” Cameron said. “After Hutchinson’s injury early in the year, Detroit’s pass rush struggled to generate pressure – ranking 23rd in team pass-rush grade (64.0) from Week 6 onward. Adding Garrett to the mix would be a nightmare for offenses, as well as provide Garrett with the chance to compete for a title.”
The Lions, who’s time to capitalize on their Super Bowl window is precious, own the draft capital to get this deal done, still possessing both their first and second round picks in 2025.
Garrett is two years into a five-year, $125 million extension he signed in 2020. His deal comes with cap hits of $19.7 million in 2025 and $20.4 million in 2026. He’s also set to receive a $5 million roster bonus on March 16, the fifth day of the league year.
