While the Philadelphia Eagles continue to revel in its second Super Bowl Championship, the NFL world is focused on the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and looking toward the 2025 NFL season. Earlier this month, Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett created shockwaves following a trade request from the Ohio-based franchise. The 29-year-old All-Pro stated that his “desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent.” This past season’s 3-14 record for the Browns appears to be the final straw for Garrett’s patience in Cleveland.
The Eagles appear ready to watch Josh Sweat test his value on the open market in two weeks. Should Howie Roseman consider filling an open hole on the Eagles’ defensive line with one of the best defensive players in the AFC? In short, absolutely.
The Player
Myles Garrett, 29, has been the cornerstone of the Cleveland defense since he was selected as the top overall choice at the 2017 NFL Draft. In the eight seasons that followed, Garrett has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times while receiving four All-Pro honors. He is not far removed from being awarded the 2023 NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year award over Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, Dallas’ Micah Parsons, and Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby.
A premier defensive player in the NFL, Garrett has been listed in the Top 20 of the NFL’s Top 100 players over the last four seasons and has appeared on the list every season since 2019. Entering last season, he was considered the fifth-best overall player in the NFL. In 117 games, Garrett has recorded 102.5 sacks, 250 solo takedowns, and 352 combined tackles. A third of those hits were tackles for loss (116).
Cleveland has struggled during Myles Garrett’s eight-year career with a 53-62 record. The Browns were 1-2 in three postseason games, including a 48-37 win in the Wild Card playoffs at division-champion Pittsburgh in 2020. Kansas City stomped out that momentum at Arrowhead Stadium with a 22-17 victory in the Divisional Round. In 2023, Cleveland was dismantled by rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in a 45-14 road beatdown in the Wild Card playoff.
The Contract
Myles Garrett has two years remaining on his deal, both of which come with high-priced cap hits associated with a multi-time Pro Bowler. Next season, Garrett will earn $19.7M for his ninth season, followed by $20.3M for his tenth NFL campaign at age 30. Several void years after the 2026 NFL season will send Garrett into free agency if a new deal is not reached.
Myles Garrett publicly proclaimed his goals to the world in a letter he produced to state his trade request from the Browns. “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete and win a Super Bowl,” he said. With that end game in mind, Garrett could be willing to work with a contending team to avoid reaching free agency if he finds himself in a competitive situation. Perhaps one like the Philadelphia Eagles that may have played in the Super Bowl twice in the last three seasons, eh?
The Trade Comps
The most recent ballpark trade compensation occurred during last year’s NFL draft. The New York Giants acquired Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers for a second-round pick (No. 39) and a swap of fifth-rounders for the two-time Pro Bowl selection. One key thing to remember in these trades is that age is a huge factor. Burns played last season at 26 years old.
In 2018, Oakland and Chicago reached a deal that might provide the best comparable for Myles Garrett. In exchange for 27-year-old All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack and a second-round selection, Oakland sent two first-round picks, a third-rounder, and a sixth-round pick to Chicago. Mack was in a similar situation to what Garrett now faces: a former Defensive Player of the Year winner stuck on a team spinning its wheels. Mack was 27 years old when he was dealt.
Cleveland faces serious salary cap complications in any trade deal. A trade before June 1st would produce 2025 draft assets but leave a massive $36 million dead cap hit on the books. A trade after June 1st would incur a smaller dead cap charge ($14.8 million), but the draft compensation would be 2026 at the earliest. Philadelphia faced a similar decision before trading QB Carson Wentz to Indianapolis in 2021 and carrying a $33.8M dead cap hit that season, the largest dead cap in NFL history at the time.
Make The Deal?
Despite GM Andrew Berry’s insistence that his defensive star will not be dealt, many remain unconvinced that Garrett will still be in Cleveland next season. Expect any Garrett deal to include a premium draft pick (1st rounder), a high-to-mid selection (2nd-4th), and a roster player to offset some of the incoming salary from the Browns.
For Cleveland, a pre-draft trade and dealing with the dead cap charge in 2025 makes the most sense. It allows the team to pivot to new assets to pair with the draft’s incoming No. 2 overall choice. While there is no chance Cleveland receives equal value for Garrett, it would be wise to trade the star at the height of his value despite last season’s 3-14 effort.
If the Eagles make (or receive) a phone call with a palatable offer for Myles Garrett, Howie Roseman needs to accept and adjust his offseason plans accordingly. The 29-year-old defensive end is on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory with no signs of slowing down following his fifth straight Pro Bowl season.
With more Super Bowl Dreams (and Nightmares) swirling in Philadelphia following the Eagles win at Super Bowl LIX, anything around the following should be an instant yes from the Eagles’ front office. Philadelphia’s 2025 (No. 32 overall) or 2026 first-round pick, a day-two choice (3rd-4th round), and a contract like DE Bryce Huff (7.5M cap hit), who could provide an NFL-level replacement on Cleveland’s now-depleted defensive line. A pre-June 1st trade of Huff would cost the Eagles $5.3M in dead cap next season. It is a necessary investment to clear some of the money off the Eagles’ books and absorb Garrett’s $19M salary in 2025.
Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
