I had to sit with my emotions with this all day after yet another disappointing season for the Browns. I also have a full time job and when stories break doesn't dictate when I start rambling on my keyboard.
Reining NFL Defensive Player of Year, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett registered his fourth consecutive season with 14 or more sacks in 2024 and continued to establish himself as one of greatest pass rushers of his generation, his accomplishments felt hollow in the midst of a 3-14 finish.
Myles Garrett has let it be known he wants to play elsewhere next season -- and preferably for a contender. The Cleveland Browns said recently they're not inclined to move their All-Pro pass rusher, but will they hold firm on that stance? If they don't, Garrett's availability will spawn a feeding frenzy for his services. The reality is that 31 other teams would love to have the 29-year-old game wrecker on their roster, prompting me to take an early stab at identifying which ones make the most sense in a potential deal.
In a statement shared by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Garrett expressed his desire to move elsewhere before the 2025 NFL season.
"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. "My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man that I am today.
I have been waiting for this moment for a few years now. Ever since the #Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, and we watched how poorly that played out, I knew this was coming. Despite how well spoken, and professionally he has handled himself in off field and post game press conferences, it was only a matter of time. He is already a Hall of Fame NFL player, he is a top 3 defensive player in the league right now, he deserves to be traded to a franchise that is in win now mode and can help compete for a Super Bowl.
Detroit Lions
Even with Aidan Hutchinson set to return in 2025 following a season-ending leg injury this past season, the Detroit Lions need some added game-breaking ability at pass rusher, ranking bottom third in the NFL in sacks in 2024. From a financial standpoint, Garrett's current contract is paying him a base salary of just $1.25 million and $1.3 million over the next two seasons and carries a cap hit of $19.7 million and $20.3 million, which should be relatively easy to absorb for clubs, including Detroit. The Lions have about $46.5 million in available space this offseason. The club is also firmly within a Super Bowl window after earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season, which would give Garrett a strong opportunity to compete for a title and play in meaningful games late in the year.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders have found their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, who just led the club to an NFC Championship appearance. While Daniels is playing out his rookie contract, it'd be wise for Washington to capitalize on that QB discount by adding elite talent to other areas of the roster, which includes the defensive line. The Commanders have the third-most amount of cap space this offseason ($78.1 million), so they could easily afford to bring Garrett aboard and ink him to a new deal. He'd also seem to blend well with Dan Quinn's defense. This season, Washington ranked 14th in the league in pressure rate, so adding Garrett would vault that defense up inside the top 10 thus making the Commanders even more dangerous in Year 2 of the Daniels era.
Las Vegas Raiders
The pairing of Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby would be the most lethal pass-rushing duo in the NFL. The Las Vegas Raiders are entering a new era after hiring Pete Carroll as head coach and have the second-highest amount of cap space ($92.5 million) in the league to reboot in a hurry. While playing alongside Crosby would be tantalizing, the main concern for Garrett would likely be Las Vegas' current quarterback situation, which is to say they don't have a clear answer at the position at the moment. If they can land a respectable signal-caller, that would certainly make them an even more desirable destination.
Cincinnati Bengals
Would the Browns really trade Garrett inside the division? I have my doubts, but if you're the Bengals you absolutely make the phone call. They have the ninth-most cap space in the NFL, so they could afford to bring Garrett aboard. More importantly, Cincinnati needs a talent like Garrett to help get the franchise back on track. Despite explosive seasons from Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase offensively, the Bengals defense left little to be desired outside of Trey Hendrickson. They ranked 25th in total yards allowed per game (348.3) and points per game (25.5). Adding Garrett to combat quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen would do wonders in the Bengals possibly getting over the hump. Meanwhile, this would arguably be one of the top destinations for Garrett when factoring in his desire to win a Super Bowl.
However....I do think he will go to an NFC Team and that in the NFC North:
Green Bay Packers:
Final Trade Offer
2026 first-round pick
2025 second-round pick
QB Malik Willis
RB MarShawn Lloyd
WR Christian Watson
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