Myles Garrett has been the anchor of the Cleveland Browns’ defense for nearly a decade. One of the most dominant forces in the NFL, he has terrorized opposing quarterbacks and built a résumé worthy of Hall of Fame discussions. But now, for the first time in his career, Garrett is making it clear — he wants out of Cleveland.
The six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro defensive end shocked the NFL world by formally requesting a trade from the Browns, citing his desire to win a Super Bowl. While Cleveland’s front office remains adamant about keeping him, Garrett’s request has already sparked a frenzy of speculation.
Every team in need of a game-changing pass rusher is probably already dialing the phones, but one general manager has thrown out a particularly bold idea — pairing Garrett with another Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Could the Raiders Make a Move for Myles Garrett?
Shortly after news of Garrett’s trade request surfaced, an anonymous NFL general manager texted a league insider with a surprising suggestion:
“The Raiders should consider trading for Myles Garrett to pair him up with Maxx Crosby.”
Another GM just texted “The Raiders should consider trading for Myles Garrett to pair him up with Maxx Crosby” 👀
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 3, 2025
At first thought, the idea seems far-fetched. The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off another disappointing season and aren’t exactly positioned as a Super Bowl contender.
However, things are changing in Vegas with Tom Brady as minority owner and Pete Carroll taking over as head coach. Both have vowed to make aggressive, win-now moves.
Would trading for Garrett be the kind of blockbuster deal that transforms the Raiders into contenders overnight? It would certainly be a statement of intent.
A pass-rushing duo of Garrett and Crosby would instantly become the most feared edge-rushing tandem in the league, capable of wrecking offensive game plans and giving Las Vegas a foundation to build around similar to what the Seattle Seahawks did with the “Legion of Boom” in the mid 2010s.
Garrett’s Trade Request and Desire To Win
Garrett made it clear recently that his trade request isn’t about money or personal grievances, the only thing he cares about is winning at the highest level.
Garrett released a public statement on social media which said:
“As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl — and that goal fuels me today more than ever. My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life.
“These past eight years have shaped me into the man that I am today. While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Garrett’s desire to compete for a championship is understandable. Despite his individual dominance, the Browns have only won a single playoff game during his eight seasons with the team. While Cleveland boasts a talented roster, they play in an AFC stacked with elite quarterbacks, making the path to a Super Bowl appearance an uphill battle.
The AFC North has only made things tougher, with the Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers consistently fielding playoff-caliber teams, leaving little room for error in one of the league’s toughest divisions.
What Would It Take To Trade for Garrett?
Despite Garrett’s request, Cleveland’s front office has no intention of letting him go easily.
General manager Andrew Berry has twice stated in the past month that he would not entertain offers for Garrett, emphasizing that he expects the defensive star to finish his career as a Brown.
At his end-of-season press conference, Berry said: “My anticipation, expectation is that he’ll have a direct ticket from Cleveland to Canton at the end of his years and expect him to be here and retire a Brown, quite frankly.”
A week later, when asked at the Senior Bowl if he would trade Garrett for a package of two first-round picks, Berry shut it down immediately — not even that hypothetical offer was enough.
That means any team hoping to land Garrett would have to offer an enormous package, likely including multiple first-round picks and additional assets.