If the Browns are taken at their word, then defensive end Myles Garrett is going nowhere.
He could wind up with more years and a ton more dollars slapped onto his Cleveland deal to earn the status of highest-paid pass rusher, and it will all be settled. Or he could get traded to any team, including the Bears.
They have already used their pass rusher money on Montez Sweat, though, so they'd need to come up with some creative funding.
Myles Garrett horror show
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer made an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday and described the place he sees as a good landing spot, a perfect trading partner who can offer up first-round picks for Garrett.
It's a pretty frightening scenario for the Bears and also the rest of the NFC North.
"My favorite destination would be Detoit," Breer told Patrick. "Look, I just think about that, like, they're in a spot now where they (Lions) don't need their first-round pick. They don't really need to keep stocking them.
"Like, they may be in a position where, if you're them you can almost say, like, 'we may only have five or six rookies who can make our team.' You know what I mean? So, are they in a position now where it's like 'we can start to flip picks.' "
Then there is the coaching situation, which the Bears know well because former Lions offensive coordinator is Bears head coach.
"If you're them and you lost all these coaches and you want to flip the momentum and keep things going in the right direction," Breer said. "I mean, God, the idea of Miles Garrett opposite Aidan (Hutchinon). I mean that to me is really intriguing.
"And so, I mean, I think Detroit is just, Detroit is in this championship window. They had so much momentum, and then the ugly loss to Washington and they lose six or seven coaches and it looks like 'Oh God are they missing the window?' What's the easiest way to flip that?"
It would be a huge acquisition and make for a potentially dominant Lions defensive line.
How the Bears fight this
Before going into a panic and figuring Caleb Williams is going to end up in a body bag, consider:
1. Detroit cap situation
Hutchinson is reaching the point now where he needs a contract extension. While they're at $43.9 million effective cap space, according to Overthecap.com, that money is going to go fast when they start adding in other contracts they'll need to extend with Hutchinson's. They'd have a difficult time fitting in another edge rusher who is the league's highest paid player at his position.
Mully & Haugh on the Myles Garrett situation
2. Bears alternatives
The Bears could go after Garrett themselves. It would be tough for them to fit in two of the league's highest edge rusher cap hits, but if it was Garrett they wanted it would not be difficult for them if they included Sweat in the trade for him.
A post-June 1 trade especially would work because Sweat's contract with $25 million a year includes only $4.08 million in prorated guaranteed money annually for two of the next three seasons. This year's cap includes $20.9 million in guaranteed salary but the last two years have very little guaranteed money.
The better alternative is that the Bears have the chance to improve themselves at one offensive tackle position and combat whoever the Lions or any other team brings in as edge rushers. Darnell Wright already looks like their most effective blocker at right tackle.
They could improve at left tackle and if they did they could offset the impact of a Detroit defensive line with Myles Garrett on it.
There is no better way to combat a team by removing their strength with your own strength.
Two good tackles on two good edge rushers is a stalemate. In a stalemate, the offense is the winner.
It's just another reason for the Bears to be improving their trenches in the offseason.
