Pats Pulpit
The star defender has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
One day after one of the wildest trades in NBA history, trade winds also started picking up in the NFL. Myles Garrett, a six-time All-Pro and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
Arguably the best defensive players in the league today, Garrett will likely be a popular target in case the Browns decide to honor his request. The New England Patriots, a team with vast resources both in terms of draft capital and salary cap space, could be among the teams pursuing the 29-year-old.
The Patriots, frankly, need of all the talent they can get their hands on after winning just eight combined games over the last two seasons. And talent is very much what Garrett has to offer.
So, should New England go after him? Let’s break down the arguments for and against such a move.
Generational talent: The Pro Bowl is more of a popularity contest than an accurate measurement for success in the NFL, but it still shows which players have managed to established themselves among the league’s best. Garrett has made the Pro Bowl six times in his career, the most for any first overall draft pick since Peyton Manning in 1998. This is not the only reason why he is a generational talent, but it serves as an illustration just how impactful he has been despite playing on some underwhelming Browns teams though the years. Players like that becoming available while still in their prime rarely happens.
Proven production: Garrett entered the league in 2017, and with the exception of his rookie year has managed to record double-digit sacks each season. He is leaving the 2024 campaign, and possibly his Browns tenure, with a total of 103.5 quarterback takedowns in a combined 120 regular season and playoff games. The volume of sacks alone is impressive, but so is the fact that he has managed to produce at a steady level year in and year out — something the Patriots have not seen from any of their defenders since Matthew Judon’s 38-game stint in New England (and even he was more up-and-down than Garrett).
Filling a major need: The Patriots’ outside linebacker position was a major concern last season, and remains so heading into 2025. Outside of Anfernee Jennings, who is a far better run defender than pass rusher, the team was unable to find consistent production on the edge — contributing to New England’s defense dropping from 19th to 29th in the league in pressure rate between 2023 and 2024. Adding Garrett would only be part of the solution, but a big one: he would fill the shoes previously worn by the since-traded Matthew Judon, and then some.
Leadership: The Patriots’ efforts to rebuild their defense cannot stop on the field; leadership, particularly under a new head coach, also will factor into any decisions being...
