The Cleveland Browns reportedly do not want to trade pass-rusher Myles Garrett. Their stance on that issue has not changed, despite Garrett requesting out on the Monday of Super Bowl week. Garrett released a statement, in which he noted a desire to win, which is something the Browns can not offer him.
"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," Garrett wrote at the time. "With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns."
If any team can relate to the Browns in this scenario, it's the Lions. For decades, Detroit was the laughing stock of professional football, until they finally got it right in hiring Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. Speaking of Holmes, it would be highly unlike him to make such a big splash on the trade market. Yet, with Detroit's window wide open and lacking much of a pass rush outside of Aidan Hutchinson, dealing a couple of draft picks to Cleveland isn't a bad proposition.
Aidan Hutchinson recruits Myles Garrett to Lions, but any trade comes with a catch
Hutchinson himself admitted that he contacted Garrett about a possible move. While the Michigan product called a trade 'unlikely', a guy can dream.
“We were just talking,” Hutchinson said. “And, although it’s probably unlikely, I would be thrilled to play next to him if it were to happen. Our whole D-Line would be just totally elevated. That would be a scary defensive line. And we get along, too. I’ve seen him these last few years at different things. He texted me after I got hurt, which, I don’t know, it was just a cool thing. Like guys outside of your own team who reach out to you. So I think he’s a good dude. If he does, great, but I don’t know. We’ll see. But that would be awesome.”
What's working against an exciting draft day trade is time. If the Browns deal Garrett now, they'll take on a dead cap hit of $36 million. If they trade him after June 1, that number drops to $19.7 million. If the Lions want to trade for Garrett they'll have to stay patient and fork over assets for the 2026 draft and beyond.