In December, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said he wanted to see a plan from the organization to win in the near future. On the face of it is was hard to see the Browns being able to form such a plan, and apparently (if it has been presented) it was not to Garrett's liking.
On Monday morning, and as has been noted perhaps not coincidentally the day after being around his peers at the Pro Bowl, Garrett released a statement announcing he has asked the Browns to trade him.
Breaking: Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and #Browns star Myles Garrett has requested a trade.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2025
Exclusive statement: pic.twitter.com/LgS5YCeCnP
Of course a trade request from a player does not have to be honored. Browns general manager Andrew Berry recently said, as he would be expected to, that he wouldn't even trade Garrett if he was offered two first-round picks. That Garrett's trade request came after Berry said that, and the statement reverse-quoted Berry (the "Cleveland to Canton" part) feels meaningful.
Garrett's desire to "compete for and win" a Super Bowl points him directly to a team like the Detroit Lions. As against his general grain as it would be, general manager Brad Holmes may be eyeing a big move, having asked the Raiders about Maxx Crosby previously.
At 29 years old, Garrett remains one of the best edge rushers in the league with no signs of slowing down.
Garrett is under contract for two more years. Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac has freshly outlined the implications of a trade.
Trading DE Myles Garrett
— Spotrac (@spotrac) February 3, 2025
New Team Acquires
2025: $19.8M (non-gtd)
2026: $25M (non-gtd)#Browns Dead Cap
$36,216,580
The 29-year-old will be seeking a deal, currently projecting toward a 4 year, $137M contract in our system.
The Lions will have to pay Aidan Hutchinson soon, so having two expensive edge rushers (possibly the two highest-paid in the league) stretches the likelihood of them making a trade for Garrett. Acquiring him may mean reworking the final two years of his contract, which as Ginnitti noted have no guaranteed salary, as well as extending him at his market value.
Reasonable takes can dismiss the idea of the Lions trading for Garrett. They would lose notable players down the road if they did it. But the time to go "all-in" looks like now, after two playoff exits that fell short of the Super Bowl goal. Holmes may not buy into "Super Bowl windows", but the Lions are undeniably in theirs and the last two years have narrowed it a bit going forward.
Trading for Garrett is primarily a move for 2025, and 2026. The related cap hits for him aren't excessive.
Depends on if they modify or keep contract as is, but they would owe around $20M this year and $25M the next. Could adjust those cap hits however they want https://t.co/wQy03AQK7j
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) February 3, 2025
However hypothetical or unlikely it might be to happen, here are some potential trade proposals to bring Garrett to the Lions.
5 trade proposals for the Lions to get Myles Garrett
Berry told reporters they could put on record that two first-round picks wouldn't be enough to get him to trade Garrett, which looks like the starting point now in light of the trade request. But let's start out by calling Berry's bluff, and make him turn down that specific offer.
The Lions first-round pick this year is late, of course (No. 28 overall), and next year's would be expected to be in the same territory. So while giving up those picks would be aggressive, it would not gut their draft capital.
Sure, whatever buzz there might be out there questioning Hooker's future in Detroit has already had the kibosh put on it. But that does not remove the questions about his future as a Lion, with no path to starting shy of a devastating injury to Jared Goff.
Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports added Dorian Thompson-Robinson in a Garrett trade proposal along this line (trading Hooker), with the idea of the Lions getting younger backup quarterback with more upside. I like that piece of the equation, but I'll leave it out of my proposal that has the Lions sending Hooker to Cleveland with their next two first-rounders for Garrett.
Citing an NFL general manager, Dianna Russini of The Athletic posted this on Twitter after Garrett's trade request.
One NFL GM on what a trade for Myles Garrett could look like:
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 3, 2025
“Probably a 1+. Can’t wait for the
“It will be 3 1s” crowd. Not happening.
1 and a 2. 1 and 2 3s. Throw a player in there.” https://t.co/xGRlikiwr2
In lieu of a "throw a player in there", at least for this proposal, here the Lions offer their first-round pick this year, next year's second-rounder and the extra 2026 third-round pick they'll get from Aaron Glenn leaving to become the New York Jets' head coach.
Picks and players feel like the price to get in the door for Garrett. For the Lions, their next two first-rounders is not an insignificant price, but where those picks are/should be should not be an impediment to giving those picks up.
In the second proposal here, Hooker, Paschal and Raymond might feel like a lot of extra to give up, but they are an older developmental backup quarterback, an underachieving former top-50 overall pick and a player who has had his role in the offense diminished greatly (right or wrong) respectively. The Browns could use those kind of cheaper depth pieces, and in their own way all three have become fairly inconsequential/replaceable for the Lions.
When it comes down to it, the Lions can, should and surely will call the Browns about trading for Garrett. There shouldn't be a whole lot off-limits in terms of draft picks, though three first-rounders feels excessive (and perhaps unnecessary). So two firsts and another top-100 range pick becomes a reasonable part of an offer.
With two years on his contract, Garrett is not merely a rental and there's a chance he does not seek a new contract immediately if he's serious about wanting to win a Super Bowl over all else. But the Lions, or any team that wants to trade for him, should enter the proceedings expecting to extend Garrett at $30-$35 million per year.