A rising tide lifts all boats. With the 2025 NFL salary cap reported to be somewhere between $277.5 and $281.5 million, there is even more opportunity to spend money for those who are willing. That $22.1 to $26.1 million reported increase could get some teams out of the red. Better yet, it might persuade teams that are hesitant to go all in into making a blockbuster move this offseason.
Yes, what I am implying is that a team wanting to get over the top like the Green Bay Packers have even more of an impetus to at least try to court Myles Garrett by way of trade. I think Cleveland is far more likely to trade Garrett to an NFC contender than an AFC one this offseason. The hope is they would be able to recoup a solid first-round pick for him.
Green Bay has been a playoff team throughout most of Matt LaFleur's tenure. However, there seems to be a finite ceiling for this team, which is an NFC Championship game at best. Whether it be Jordan Love or Aaron Rodgers under center at quarterback, it hasn't really mattered. Green Bay needs to make great strides on defense, and Garrett should help bring ferocity to the front seven.
The Packers seem to check most of the boxes for teams that could potentially trade with Cleveland.
NFL salary cap increase could help Packers' case to land Myles Garrett
I wrote about this earlier today on FanSided.com when tossing around the idea out there that Kirk Cousins needs to be the Cleveland Browns' next starting quarterback. The Browns are not expected to field a competitive team next year. Because of what they owe Deshaun Watson, it does not serve them to spend big on another quarterback, whether that be a free agent or an NFL Draft selection.
Cousins could come over on a team-friendly veteran minimum salary with the Atlanta Falcons fronting the bill. The Browns also need to trade back from No. 2 in a deal with a quarterback-desperate team to recoup more draft capital. I like them moving back to No. 6 in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders so they can be the ones to draft Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado. But wait, there's more!
In addition to getting a great player at No. 6, the Raiders' first-round pick in 2026 and some other draft compensation, the Browns could get the Packers' No. 23 draft pick as part of the deal for Garrett. If the Packers stand pat and take a player in the back end of the first round, some of that newfound cap space would go to a rookie who might help them win now. Do better!
With more readily-available cap space than expected, the Packers could use that space, plus two picks (No. 23 overall and a later selection) to fork up enough money to merit bringing Garrett into the fold. Anytime the Packers have won a Super Bowl in my lifetime, it was because they got great play out of their defense. Reggie White and Charles Woodson were not homegrown talents...
An additional $22.1 million at minimum could be what helps sway the Packers to go all in on Garrett.