Projecting Myles Garrett's Trade Value, Best Fits After Raiders' Maxx Crosby Deal

Free agency hasn't even started yet, yet the NFL is already off the chain.

This past week has brought a number of prominent trades. All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie is now with the Los Angeles Rams. The Bills added a potential No. 1 wide receiver in DJ Moore. And on Friday, the Baltimore Ravens sent two first-rounders to the Las Vegas Raiders for star edge-rusher Maxx Crosby.

That blockbuster has rekindled speculation surrounding another big name on the edge—reigning Defensive Player of the Year and new single-season sack king Myles Garrett.

Trade rumors have been swirling around Garrett for a while now, and with a new coaching staff in Cleveland, the 30-year-old isn't interested in another prolonged rebuild.

"I'm committed to winning," Garrett told reporters. "As long as the team and organization are doing so and they're committed to that same thing, then I'm all on board. But if we're thinking other than winning—tanking or rebuilding—that's not me."

Given his massive contract and the draft capital it would take to pry Garrett away from Cleveland, a deal for the two-time DPOY wouldn't be easy. But difficult isn't impossible, and at least a few teams should kick the tires on adding the NFL's best pass-rusher.

Buckle up, though. The asking price would be a knee-buckler.

The Price Tag

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

We might as well get this out of the way first: A Garrett trade seems unlikely this offseason.

It's not just a matter of compensation. Dealing Garrett would be a blow for the Browns not just on the field but also financially.

After once again restructuring the contract of quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Browns have about $15.8 million in cap space. Dealing Garrett would result in a dead cap hit of almost $41 million, per Spotrac, which would wipe out that cap space and then some.

Given that, a trade offer for Garrett would have to be even better than what the Raiders just got for Crosby.

Yes, Garrett is older than Crosby. He'll turn 31 in December. But the nine-year veteran just broke the single-season sack record, so it's safe to say he still has something left in the tank. Garrett has been mostly durable as of late, having missed only two games over the past five years.

He has also been consistently dominant. Dating back to 2020, Garrett has logged at least 12 sacks in each of the past six seasons and at least 14 in each of the last five. Both are NFL records. He has been named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in two of the past three seasons.

Garrett is the Browns' best and most beloved player. It would likely take a Godfather offer—multiple first-round picks plus another player or additional pick compensation—to convince the Browns to trade him.

That's a lot to give up. But the following few teams might consider it.

New England Patriots

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New England Patriots Get: Edge Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 31), 2026 3rd-round pick (No. 95), 2027 1st-round pick

A team would have to meet certain requirements to make mortgaging its future in a Garrett trade palatable.

First off, the team needs to have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Given that the New England Patriots just lost Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks, they clearly fit the bill there.

The Patriots also have a need on the edge of the defensive line. Last year, they logged 35 sacks in the regular season, which was tied for the seventh-fewest in the NFL. Harold Landry III will be back after logging a respectable 8.5 sacks last year, but fellow edge-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson is set to hit free agency.

With nearly $44 million in cap space, the Patriots also have the financial resources to absorb Garrett's contract.

Making this sort of blockbuster would mean the Patriots are pushing all their chips into the center of the table. Garrett would make an already stout New England defense that much more formidable.

New England knows firsthand what Garrett is capable of. He had five sacks against the Pats in their last meeting.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

San Francisco 49ers Get: Edge Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 27), 2027 1st-round pick, Edge Mykel Williams

One stat explains why the San Francisco 49ers should have interest in a trade for Garrett if he becomes available. They had three fewer sacks as a team this past season than Garrett did individually, yet they still made the playoffs.

The ACL tears suffered by edge-rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams played a significant role in the Niners' league-low 20 sacks. But with both of those players returning from major injuries, San Francisco has to prioritize bolstering its pass rush this offseason.

The 49ers have about $37.5 million in cap space, so the financials are doable, especially if they restructured Garrett's contract as part of the deal. San Francisco general manager John Lynch has also demonstrated that he's willing to make hyper-aggressive trades in the past.

Pairing Bosa and Garrett would give the 49ers arguably the most terrifying pass-rush duo in the NFL. Both have won Defensive Player of the Year honors. And sending Williams to Cleveland as part of the deal would give the Browns a talented youngster on a rookie deal.

Seattle Seahawks

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Seattle Seahawks Get: Edge Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 32), 2027 1st-round pick, 2027 3rd-round pick

On one hand, the Seahawks don't necessarily need Myles Garrett. They logged 47 sacks in 2025 (tied for seventh-most in the NFL) and just won the Super Bowl.

On the other hand, no Seahawks player had more than seven sacks last year. Edge-rusher Demarcus Lawrence and tackle Leonard Williams are both the wrong side of 30, and edge-rusher Uchenna Nwosu will turn 30 in December. As good as those defensive linemen are, they aren't in the same league as Garrett.

The Seahawks have nearly $58.1 million in cap space (sixth-most in the NFL), so they have the cabbage to absorb Garrett's salary. They'll be picking at the end of Round 1 in 2026 and likely wouldn't be picking much higher in 2027 after bringing Garrett in.

Making this trade would make Seattle's "Dark Side" defense so scary that even Darth Vader would be sweating under his helmet. And if the Seahawks reworked Garrett's contract as part of the deal, they could even have the spending power to retain in-house free agents like Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/David Richard

Los Angeles Chargers Get: Edge Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 22), 2026 3rd-round pick (No. 86), 2027 1st-round pick

The Los Angeles Chargers are coming off an 11-win season and a trip to the playoffs. The team's defense played a big role in that success. Los Angeles was fifth in the NFL in yards allowed, ninth in the league in points allowed and tallied a respectable 45 sacks for the season.

Tuli Tuipulotu had a breakout season in 2025 and led the team with 13 sacks. But both Odafe Oweh (7.5 sacks) and Khalil Mack (5.5 sacks) are both about to hit free agency, and the 35-year-old Mack is nearing the end of his stellar career.

Combining Tuipulotu and Garrett would give the Chargers a nightmarish pair of edge-rushers in a division loaded with big names at quarterback. Money isn't a major issue, either. With roughly $95.8 million to spend (second-most in the league), the Bolts have the cap space to add Garrett without completely hamstringing their efforts to add players at other positions.

Acquiring Garrett would be an aggressive move that isn't without risk. But in the rapidly accelerating arms race that is the AFC West, it could put the Chargers over the top.