The Chicago Bears are expected to be sellers rather than buyers at the NFL trade deadline on November 5, but Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett might be an exception worth considering for general manager Ryan Poles.
The Browns, sitting at 1-6 after losing quarterback Deshaun Watson to a season-ending Achilles injury, are rumored to be considering a reset and could look to trade some of their top veterans. They’ve already dealt wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for draft picks.
Now, attention shifts to Garrett, the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, with reports suggesting that both Garrett and Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby have caught Poles’ interest as the trade deadline approaches.
Sports Illustrated’s Evan Massey has proposed a potential Bears-Browns deal for Garrett, arguing that the pass-rusher would significantly elevate Chicago’s defense and make them more competitive in the NFC. “Acquiring Garrett would instantly bolster the Bears’ pass-rush and take the defense to the next level,” Massey noted, adding that with an improving offense, the addition of Garrett could make the Bears a team to watch in the coming years.
Myles Garrett Would Cost Bears an Exorbitant Amount
The Bears would likely need to give up a significant haul to acquire Myles Garrett from the Browns before the 2024 trade deadline. For instance, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay proposed several trade packages for the 28-year-old defensive end, suggesting that any team looking to land him would have to offer at least two first-round picks, and potentially more.
In the Bears’ case, a realistic offer might look like this:
– Browns receive: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, and defensive end Darrell Taylor.
-Bears receive: Defensive end Myles Garrett.
Though Chicago has three selections in the first two rounds, including Carolina’s second-round pick (currently 1-6), it’s hard to imagine general manager Ryan Poles sacrificing so many assets for one player — even one as dominant as Garrett.
On top of that, the financial side presents challenges. Garrett’s current contract is a five-year, $125 million deal he signed in 2020, with a cap hit of $20.16 million in 2024 and similar hits in 2025 and 2026. Due to Cleveland restructuring his contract, Garrett will also carry a $37.68 million cap hit in 2026, a void year when he’s no longer on the roster. Although the Bears could technically make the cap numbers work, it would create a financial strain that could severely limit their ability to address other key positions.
Teams ‘Fishing’ for Myles Garrett on Trade Market
The Bears’ financial situation makes them longshots—if even serious contenders—for acquiring Myles Garrett at the trade deadline. While the Browns may field offers given their 1-6 record and recent trade of Amari Cooper, it doesn’t seem they’re eager to part with Garrett. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, a well-connected NFL insider, reported on October 21 that while teams may inquire about Garrett, as well as players like Denzel Ward and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland isn’t likely to move them.
Breer’s insight adds weight to the notion that Garrett remains off the table, but the Browns could be tempted by a blockbuster offer, especially if it helps address their quarterback situation. For the Bears to land Garrett, they’d need to deviate from their usual approach under general manager Ryan Poles. Though Poles has made significant trades, like acquiring Montez Sweat and D.J. Moore and securing a pick that led to rookie Caleb Williams, he has avoided the kind of high-risk, overpaying deals that hurt the previous regime.
While it’s not impossible, a trade for Garrett remains highly unlikely for the Bears.
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