Myles Garrett is about to become a hot commodity no matter if the Cleveland Browns say he's unavailable to be traded. Multiple teams are going to blow up general manager Andrew Berry's phone, especially with Garrett's contract language being modified to make a move easier, but the Chicago Bears should be making the hardest push.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Cleveland Browns are expected to field numerous trade offers for Myles Garrett before the draft.
- The Bears could offer multiple high-round picks and a young defensive player to acquire him.
- This move would position the acquiring team as immediate Super Bowl contenders with a dominant pass rusher.
After quarterback Caleb Williams redeemed himself last season from an abysmal rookie year, the Bears in 2025 looked like a team needing just one defensive piece to seriously contend for a Super Bowl. Myles Garrett could very well be that piece and Chicago has the capital necessary to make a deal happen.
This Browns-Bears trade would help Myles Garrett win a Super Bowl
Defensive end Montez Sweat is the clear heart of Chicago's defense but like many teams - including the Browns - know all too well, one star does not a defense make. The NFC North division is entering an arms race with all four teams finishing with records above .500 so the first to pair certified stars on defense will become the super power going forward.
Cleveland isn't going to win any time soon and Garrett deserves to take a lengthy run at winning a Super Bowl. Chicago can offer that opportunity while being able to afford compensating the Browns for their future Hall of Famer.
If a trade materializes before April's draft, Chicago can offer two high-round picks this year and another next season. If Cleveland refuses to deal until the summer, the same principle would apply just pushed back a year.
Specifically, Chicago can offer their first rounder (No. 25) and second rounder (No. 60 previously owned by the Buffalo Bills) this year, then a first in 2027 to fulfill the "kings ransom" in draft capital. But to ensure they won't get outbid by another team, sending DE Dayo Odeyingbo would enhance a deal.
Why the Bears would accept this trade
The Bears' defensive depth chart is actually quite impressive. However, they ranked in the bottom five last season for average yards allowed per game (361.8) and logged just 35 sacks. It's a head-scratcher for some as Chicago topped the league in the turnover margin (+22) which was a serious driver in its winning 11 games and claiming the franchise's first NFC North title since 2018.
Sweat was responsible for 10 of Chicago's 35 sacks and forced three fumbles (recovered one) last year. The next five DEs on the Bears' stat leaders list combined for nine sacks and one forced fumble.
By adding Odeyingbo to a potential deal, Chicago could justify getting its own sixth-round pick back this year which it sent to Cleveland in the deal for DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. The Bears didn't re-sign the 26-year-old after his contract expired at the end of the season and he's still a free agent.
After losing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the New York Giants, Chicago's defense needs a tackling boost up front. Garrett is a home run hitter in that respect and despite the cost is worth the investment for a Bears team that finds itself in "win now" mode.
Why the Browns would accept this trade
There's some fair concern over Odeyingbo's health and worth. He only played eight games for the Bears last year after tearing his Achilles, recording a single sack.
Chicago has reportedly explored an injury settlement to move on from him with his playing future uncertain but if the Bears take on a good chunk of the cash he's owed in the remaining two years of his deal, Cleveland could benefit from the 26-year-old's services when recovered.
There's also no harm in sending Chicago its sixth-rounder back, essentially a refund for the Tryon-Shoyinka trade. It's not like Berry has his eyes dead set on someone at that position on day three anyways.
The Browns are in competitive purgatory and have other needs to address before considering themselves ready to win. Acquiring a haul of draft picks from Chicago heavily outweighs the fact that the Bears would be dumping a disappointing signing on the shores of Lake Erie.