Although the Chicago Bears’ defeat to the Washington Commanders in Week 8 may have been a setback, there is still speculation that they could make a blockbuster trade for Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett, one of the league’s best defenders, before the NFL deadline.
On November 5, Jacob Robinson and Dianna Russini of The Athletic made a league-changing trade proposal for the Bears that would bring Garrett to Chicago, along with “six potential trades that could shake up the NFL landscape before the deadline.”
Robinson and Russini reported on October 24 that “Peter, a one-man wrecking crew, is the best help.”
Given what he would contribute to the Bears’ defensive line, Garrett, the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, would be a huge acquisition. With a career-high 16 sacks in 2021 and 2022, the 28-year-old has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his last six seasons with the Browns. Despite the 2-6 Browns’ problems, he has already recorded four sacks in the first eight games of the 2024 season.
According to The Athletic, Garrett and the remainder of his $125 million contract, which expires at the conclusion of the 2026 season, would be acquired by the Bears in exchange for their first-round picks in 2025 and 2026 as well as fifth-round rookie defensive end Austin Booker.
“This wouldn’t be as risky as the Khalil Mack trade for Chicago if it happens, since the Bears would still hold the Panthers’ 2025 second-round pick, which could potentially be as high as No. 33, and they’d have $72 million in cap space next year,” the report continued.
With Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze on rookie deals, Garrett should remain one of the league’s top players for the next three to four years at age 28, aligning with the Bears’ Super Bowl contention window. Chicago, seize the opportunity!
However, the Bears would face challenges in trading for Myles Garrett.
For Madden fans and fanatics who are unaware of the pay cap, the Bears’ blockbuster trade for Garrett may seem reasonable, but The Athletic’s suggestion has some serious problems that could cause obstacles for Chicago.
To begin with, the Bears would have to make a large financial investment in Garrett. He only has a basic salary of roughly $1.2 million for the 2024 season, but he will have cap hits of $19.72 million in 2025 and $20.37 million in 2026. Due to the Browns’ usage of a void year in his contract structure, he is also expected to leave behind a dead-cap penalty of over $37 million in 2027 when he is no longer on the roster.
Given that standout defensive end Montez Sweat is already expected to cost the Bears $25 million over the next three seasons, it would be a significant financial commitment to spend that much money on another edge rusher. In addition, Garrett has the right to ask for a raise that would bring him up to the top of the market, where four other people make $28 million or more a year.
If the Bears traded off their top picks in the next two drafts for Garrett, they would also completely reverse their roster-building process. In order to rebuild the squad and undo the harm that his predecessor, Ryan Pace, caused in his last desperate years in Chicago, general manager Ryan Poles has been meticulous. Making a deal for Garrett now would go against Poles’ plan and put the Bears back in the past.
Furthermore, rather than paying Myles Garrett at almost 29, wouldn’t it be preferable to use one of those two first-round picks to try to locate the next Myles Garrett on a rookie contract?
Increased DL Needs Could Result from the Montez Sweat Injury
Don’t exclude the Bears making another defensive lineman move just yet, even though a trade for Garrett might be too outrageous given Sweat’s most recent injury.
Due to a shin injury, Sweat was unable to return to the game after leaving the Bears’ 18-15 loss to the Commanders in Week 8 in the second half. The severity of Sweat’s injury has not yet been revealed by Chicago, but it may force the team to look into the trade market for additional pass-rushing assistance come the deadline.
Additionally, the Bears might try to bolster their defensive interior with extra depth. With four sacks, twelve quarterback hits, and twenty pressures in the first seven games of 2024, Gervon Dexter Sr. has emerged as the team’s defensive line’s breakout standout. They lack depth and young due to the absence of Zacch Pickens, a 2023 third-round pick, but Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker have also contributed seasoned production to the interior.
The NFL trade deadline is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
