The Chicago Bears are in Year 3 of their rebuild. This is usually when a team should start showing signs of legitimate progress. Right on cue, the team has jumped to a 4-2 record, riding a three-game winning streak into the bye week. Normally, a GM would sit back and let things play out. The problem is the Bears happen to reside in the NFL's toughest division. All four teams would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. That is why many believe Ryan Poles could be active again at the trade deadline, hoping to land one more impact player to get them over the hump. Enter Myles Garrett.
The three-time All-Pro and reigning Defensive Player of the Year is the heart and soul of the Cleveland Browns. Nobody would ever believe he could be on the trade block. However, his team is now 1-6 and drifting closer and closer to a rebuild with so many key players entering their 30s. With no end in sight on the Deshaun Watson contract, the team might be compelled to begin stacking draft picks. That would mean sacrificing their 28-year-old superstar. Zac Jackson of The Athletic painted a picture of what the cost would be.
Unsurprisingly, it's high.
"But with each passing week, I think the Browns have to be open to discussions about Garrett’s future — both internally about where this whole thing is headed and any external offers they might receive with contending teams believing the Browns will be sellers at the deadline...
...Can the Browns get a first-round pick plus more for Garrett? Sure. But trading Garrett would bring $36 million more in dead money for next year, and even getting close to a Garrett trade would require organizational continuity on how to both tear down the current roster and plot a path for the future. Saying it’s nice to have an extra late first-round pick (or picks) is one thing. Making a plan to maximize those picks is more important.
If the Browns are going to trade Garrett, they’re probably going to ask not only for multiple premium picks but potentially for a young player with multiple seasons left on his rookie contract. They’re entitled to ask for anything they want, really."
Is Myles Garrett worth the price for the Bears?
Since 2018, he has averaged 12 sacks or more each season. He's already at 92.5 for his career. The dude is a freak of nature. Provided he stays healthy, most pass rushers remain productive into at least their early 30s. That means it's a reasonable assumption that the Bears would get three or four more peak years from him if they made the trade. That would run the length of Caleb Williams' rookie deal, meaning they should easily afford his hefty contract. It comes down to whether Poles is willing to give up the draft capital.
He hasn't been shy about making aggressive trades before, but none of them involved a 1st round pick. The highest the Bears GM has ever gone is a 2nd rounder. He has preferred to retain his highest picks. Myles Garrett would be an all-in type of move, a signal that he believes this team is Super Bowl-ready. Educated guess? Chicago won't do it. They likely feel they have enough on the defensive line to remain a good defense and can continue building through the draft. Garrett is a phenomenal player, but the Bears don't need him.
