Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett made the likely tough decision to request a trade from the organization that drafted him with the first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
It’s a perfectly understandable decision, as Garrett is in the midst of his prime and is seeking his first Super Bowl ring. With the Browns finishing the 2024 season with a record of 3-14, the odds of hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Cleveland were slim.
A plethora of teams should throw out a strong offer for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, but one AFC contender could finally get over the hump with him rushing the quarterback.
Buffalo Bills Predicted To Acquire Myles Garrett in a Blockbuster Trade
The Buffalo Bills continue to fall short of even an appearance on the biggest stage despite their quarterback, Josh Allen, winning MVP last season. A large part of this inability to reach the Super Bowl is failing to pressure the QB and stop the run.
Buffalo’s front office attempted to solve this by adding veteran Von Miller in 2022, but he was simply past his prime. This is why PFSN’s Sterling Xie predicts the Bills to acquire Garrett in what would arguably end up as the biggest move of the summer.
“In a conference filled with superstar quarterbacks and explosive passing games, improving the pass rush is the Bills’ best chance to get over the hump,” Xie wrote. “There’s no better antidote to a sagging pass rush than Myles Garrett.”
The Bills’ defense slotted at 18th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric, making it obvious their need for improvement. The reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles ranked second, while the runner-up Kansas City Chiefs were placed at 14th.
The difference for the Chiefs is that Steve Spagnuolo calls the plays and schemes up creative blitzes. Meanwhile, first-year defensive coordinator Bobby Babich calls the plays for Buffalo’s defense.
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“Such a move would push a lot of salary chips into 2025, as Garrett would likely want a lucrative extension that puts him in the same neighborhood as Nick Bosa’s $34 million per year contract. However, the cap-strapped Bills could make it work in the short term.”
Xie then went on to explain how the salary cap surrounding the move would work, writing, “Garrett would have a cap hit of less than $5 million for 2025 – the combination of his $1.255 million base salary and an $18.5 million roster bonus prorated over five years ($3.7 million per year). Beyond that, the numbers would likely skyrocket with his new extension, or the Bills would push the salary cap pain into the 2030s with void years.”
The Fit Between the Bills and Garrett
Buffalo’s defensive line has always been a strength, but it lacks a supreme defensive playmaker on the edges.
Defensive ends AJ Epenesa and Greg Rousseau are both at the prime of their careers with Rousseau tying his career high in sacks. However, they’ve never been elite difference makers, but the presence of Garrett can pave the way for both.
On the “Mina Kimes Show,” Garrett expressed his willingness to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 setting, which is exactly what Buffalo runs, unlocking a totally new aspect of Garrett’s already elite skillset.
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Not only that, but it secures a position that Buffalo may have looked towards in the upcoming NFL Draft. PFSN’s latest Mock Draft has the Bills selecting safety, Malaki Starks, who was an exceptional player in college.
However, the secondary wasn’t a pressing need in Buffalo, and acquiring Garrett would most likely mean the Bills would trade that first rounder.