Why the Bears should not pursue All-Pro Myles Garrett |
After not having a single-player record of at least six sacks last season, Chicago clearly needs to acquire a pass rusher. Who better to acquire that generational talent than Myles Garrett, who wants to be traded from the Cleveland Browns to a championship-contender team?
Drafted No. 1 overall in 2017, Myles Garrett was the Cleveland Browns’ first-round draft selection. His rookie season was the only year he put up less than 10 sacks. Garrett was second-team All-Pro in 2018 after registering 13.5 sacks and forcing three fumbles. Every year since 2020, he has been named to the Pro Bowl and four out of the past five years, he has been a first-team All-Pro. In the past three seasons, Garrett has been a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award in 2023. This past season, he led the league in tackles for loss with 22. With all of his individual accomplishments, Garrett has only been able to play in three playoff games. Cleveland is in shambles with an uncertain future at quarterback and their top player looking to leave. Chicago may be coming off a dismal season, but they have quickly turned their coaching staff around. They have a new head coach, Ben Johnson, and a new defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen. This is part of what makes Chicago such an excellent fit for Garrett. The Bears need his talents, and at 29 years old, Garrett is craving a Super Bowl. Realistically, Chicago is one of the better options for teams with the cap space to trade for Garrett. The biggest obstacle to trade conversations is that the Browns have not agreed to trade Garrett. However, if the trade were to occur after June 1, it would help Cleveland save money and spread the salary cap hit over two seasons. Therefore, that is probably the timeline if the Bears were to complete a trade for Garrett. The most challenging part is the draft capital required to pull off a trade for Garrett. This is probably a multiple-first-round pick deal for a player like him in the prime of his career. Chicago would have to trade its No. 10 overall selection, a first-round pick next season, and probably other low-level draft picks to get Garrett. This would not be a smart trade, given the Bears' many needs, especially on the offensive line. They need their No. 10 overall pick for an offensive lineman, and they will probably need their 2026 first-round selection for an offensive or defensive lineman. The Bears could also use an upgrade at running back and more depth at receiver. Chicago needs a talent like Garrett, but with all of the other needs the Bears have, this is a trade they have to avoid. It would take too much cap space and draft capital and not leave room to fix Chicago's other issues. The defense may win championships, but the offense still needs to score. The offense cannot consistently be consistent when your quarterback gets sacked an average of four times a game, as Caleb Williams did in his rookie season. The offensive line has to be a top priority and the Bears need their No. 10 overall selection to do that.
