Inside The Star
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, it appears that trade fever has bled into the NFL as well. Big names like Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp have been placed on the trade block.
Other players are projected by analysts to be traded to help relieve team cap space or to kick off a full rebuild. One player has taken matters into his own hands, deciding he no longer wants to play for his team.
Perennial All-Pro and NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate DE Myles Garrett has made himself available for trade. The source? Well, himself.
The Texas A&M alumni announced via social media that he has decided to move on from the team that drafted him with the first overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft: the Cleveland Browns.
Sometimes the team can knuckle down and the player has a change of heart when it comes to situations like this. However, in this situation, I think the Browns should just cut their losses and grant Garrett the trade he is requesting.
Playing hard ball would only make the process more painful, and the longer it drags out, the higher the chance that the return on the trade won’t be as substantial. Let’s pretend the Browns are fair game in this scenario.
They would likely be asking for certain things in return. Do the Cowboys have what is needed to be players in the Myles Garrett sweepstakes?
By “player of comparison”, I don’t necessarily mean the same position. I make this distinction because players have different roles on the field.
Comparison, to me, is more of the impact on the field. You can count on one hand how many players can be as impactful as Myles Garrett is on the field, and none of them will be part of any deal unless teams try to replicate the Luka Doncic to Los Angeles Lakers trade.
For that reason, any trade will need to include a player of comparison along with draft picks to get a deal done.
The Cowboys happen to have one of the players who matches Garrett’s impact on the field, but Micah Parsons won’t be going anywhere any time soon.
No other player compares to Garrett’s impact, but the Browns would likely want another defensive end in return.
Parsons is out of the question, and Sam Williams is returning from an ACL tear. The only other defensive end under contract is Marshawn Kneeland, who will be entering his second season.
If Kneeland doesn’t satisfy the Browns, their focus may shift to a different type of player…
No team is perfect, and the Browns have their share of holes in the roster or their team captain wouldn’t be requesting a trade out of town.
If the Cowboys defensive end depth chart doesn’t wow them, they could decide to fill another hole in their roster with a Cowboys player at a different position.
The Browns could use some...
