The Washington Commanders have already begun preparing to overtake the Philadelphia Eagles next year by improving their roster and trading for wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
However, Commanders general manager Adam Peters might not be done bringing in big names just yet. They could acquire a $125,000,000 havoc-wreaking superstar, Myles Garrett, to help Dan Quinn’s defensive line.
Will Cleveland Move Their Giant Star?
Garrett expressed his desire for a trade from the Cleveland Browns — the team that selected him first in 2017. During his time in Cleveland, Garrett established himself as one of the league’s premier pass rushers, earning a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023, as well as four First-Team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowl appearances.
The Browns are nowhere close to competing for a Super Bowl, and at age 29, Garrett knows he only has a few more really good years in his prime before he starts a decline.
Trading for a superstar of Garrett’s caliber would be an expensive endeavor for any team, and it will surely take a king’s ransom to pry him away from Cleveland. While unlikely to part ways with their defensive cornerstone, the Browns will have to consider a deal if the price is right.
According to PFSN’s bold prediction article, the Commanders should be aggressive and trade for the future Hall-of-Famer. Armed with cap space and the momentum of a deep playoff run, they have the assets to make a compelling offer.
“Washington ranked 17th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric, thanks mainly to a pass defense that ranked 24th in EPA per dropback. Adding a generational pass rusher is a great way to improve that, especially while the Commanders can comfortably fit a player like Garrett into their budget.”
A realistic trade package would likely need to include one or two first-round picks along with a second-rounder. The key question is whether Browns general manager Andrew Berry will entertain Garrett’s trade request. If Cleveland refuses to move him and Garrett chooses not to play, it could create an even bigger problem for the team.
Browns fans may not want to hear it, but the best outcome for the franchise and Garrett could be finding the right trade partner and moving forward before the situation escalates and gets messy.
Why Washington Should Make Another Big Swing
The Commanders enter the offseason with roughly $79.5 million in cap space, the third-most in the NFL. Their league-high 28 unrestricted free agents are a big reason for that.
“Washington has four more cost-controlled years of Jayden Daniels, as a lucrative extension wouldn’t kick in until 2028 if he continues on his current trajectory.”
After pulling off road upsets in the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, the Commanders know how close they are to reaching the Super Bowl. With still on his rookie contract, now is the perfect time to take a big swing and capitalize on their championship window.
History shows that teams with a star young quarterback on a rookie deal often seize the opportunity to build a contender. Look no further than the Bengals, who capitalized on Joe Burrow’s rookie contract and made a Super Bowl run.
Or the Eagles, who did the same with Jalen Hurts during their first deep postseason push.
While both teams ultimately lost in the big game, they assembled stacked rosters. A key reason for their success was the financial flexibility they gained from not having to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to their quarterbacks.
Now is the perfect time for the Commanders to strike. With a loaded offense in place, the next step is to add a game-changing weapon — a former Defensive Player of the Year — who can create chaos for top quarterbacks like Hurts and the rest of the NFC signal-callers.