Getty Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns warms up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Browns were handily defeated in their Week 1 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys, falling at home, 33-17.
After making the playoffs last year with an 11-6 mark, Cleveland had high hopes heading into the 2024 season, but seeing how slow the team looked against Dallas, it’s fair to wonder if a decline is coming.
In an exchange on X, Jeff Hughes and Robert Schmitz of Da Bears Blog wondered whether the Browns might be willing to part with All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett. The Chicago Bears have shown interest in adding talent at the position when they entered and lost the Matthew Judon sweepstakes.
While the team added defensive end Darrell Taylor via trade, Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and in a league of his own. Hughes thinks there’s a chance the Bears could pursue Garrett. “What if the Browns season collapses?” Hughes asked. “If you’re thinking Myles Garrett, I think their GM gets fired for picking up the phone,” Schmitz replied. Hughes isn’t so sure.
“Bears offer them two 1s and I think they consider it,” Hughes countered. “They are going to need a full reset next year if this collapses.”
Is Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett a Realistic Trade Option for the Chicago Bears?
@robertkschmitz Bears offer them two 1s and I think they consider it. They are going to need a full reset next year if this collapses.
It’s highly unlikely, but if the Browns’ season does go bad in a hurry, it’s not unreasonable to think they might trade get offers galore for Garrett, a five-time All-Pro (three first-team selections, two second-team). Bears general manager Ryan Poles has shown a propensity to be active on the trade market if he sees an opportunity. He did it when he traded for DE Montez Sweat last year.
That said, Poles has not been cavalier with the team’s first-round picks, and he likely won’t start now.
As Schmitz noted, Browns GM Andrew Berry isn’t likely going to entertain the idea of trading the team’s best player, but the Browns are also the same team that traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson and his contract — a move CBS Sports recently called one of the worst in NFL history.
Garrett signed a five-year, $125 million contract with Cleveland in 2020. He has cap hits of around $20 million each year over the next three seasons. The Bears could afford it, but they have other needs — particularly on the offensive line — that should probably be prioritized first.
Garrett, who has 1.0 sacks and a forced fumble in the team’s lone game so far this season, finished his 2023 campaign with 42 total tackles (17 for loss), 14.0 sacks, 30 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles and 3 passes defensed. There aren’t many teams who wouldn’t be interested in his services, as he’s one of the best D-linemen in the league.
But what if the Bears have found a solid compliment to Sweat in the newly-acquired Taylor?
Will DE Darrell Taylor’s Hot Streak Continue?
Darrell Taylor in his Bears debut:
🔵 78.6 PFF grade
🟠 3 pressures
🔵 2.0 sacks
🟠 2 run stops
🔵 1 forced fumble
The Bears sent a 2025 sixth-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks prior to the start of the regular season in exchange for Taylor. He made an impact immediately, netting 8 total tackles (2 for loss), 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and 2 QB hits.
Taylor has a cap hit just over $3 million this season and will be looking for a new deal after this year. If he plays well, he’ll have suitors — unless the Bears lock him down first, that is.
A former second-round selection for the Seahawks in the 2020 draft, Taylor had a 9.5 sack season in 2022, but he hasn’t neared that mark since. In his first game with the Bears, he had the second multi-sack performance of his 50-game career, however, so he’s off to a great start. If his hot streak continues, talk of trading for players such as Garrett could go away altogether.
