Since news broke that Myles Garrett wants out of Cleveland, a number of teams, including the Green Bay Packers, have begun linked as potential destinations. Unfortunately, NFL insider Adam Schefter doused those hopes and dreams with cold water in his analysis of the situation on ESPN Milwaukee.
While he said the outlook for would-be suitors is not necessarily “bleak,” he wasn’t exactly encouraging:
‘Bleak’ would be the wrong word, I think. We try to be practical and realistic about where it’s at and I know it’s fun to talk about a trade–and by the way the Browns may eventually come around on trading him–but to date they’ve given no indication whatsoever that they’re interested in trading Myles Garrett. They’re going to have to move off their stance before there’s a trade.
The Packers are looking for a player to fortify a pass rush led last season by Rashan Gary and his 7.5 sacks. As fantastic as Garrett would look in green and gold, Schefter’s words suggest he may be just that–a fantasy.
Will Myles Garrett Wreak Havoc on Cleveland Browns for a Trade to Green Bay Packers, Elsewhere?
When pro athletes grow unhappy with their teams, things can get ugly. Exhibit A from the NBA: Jimmy Butler in Miami. Schefter isn’t sure that Garrett wants to create that type of atmosphere.
“I don’t know how strong his stomach is to create chaos and to sit out and risk game checks and risk the wrath of fans,” he said. “Now, I think a lot of people would understand, ‘Hey, Cleveland doesn’t win, hasn’t won, we understand why you’re frustrated, so we support you.’ There certainly would be a segment of fans that would be on his side but there would be people that would be pissed off about it.”
Whether or not Garrett embraces the drama, he might fail in his endeavors anyway. Schefter points to three recent cases where star players demanded a trade and ended up staying with the team: Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk on the 49ers and Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Aiyuk especially stretched the process to uncomfortable lengths, creating a cloud over San Francisco’s offseason and training camp.
Although he and the team agreed to a contract in time for Week 1, he got off to a slow start and subsequent injuries never allowed him to find his rhythm. In these situations, there is just as much, if not more to lose for the player than for the team.
In contrast to some superstars who seem to prioritize their ego above all else, Garrett seems genuinely passionate about the game. Until recently, he was determined to make it work in Cleveland. Does he want to watch from the sidelines while his teammates take the field without him?
Money Isn’t Everything–But It’s a Lot
Schefter did note, however, an important difference in this case. While the above players demanded out due to contract disputes, Garrett has cited playoff contention, not money, as the reason he wants to play elsewhere. Schefter also recalled Khalil Mack‘s trade tantrum on the Raiders in 2018, which he eventually won with a trade to Chicago days before the season started.
Still, although he acknowledged that things can change, ESPN’s senior reporter isn’t convinced that Cleveland is actively shopping Garrett, or that they will start taking calls anytime soon:
I don’t know if Cleveland can make it right but when teams come to players and they say, ‘I know you don’t want to be here but we’re going to take care of you, we’re going to make you the highest-paid defensive player in football, the highest-paid non-quarterback in football,’ sometimes it has a way of working out….
Sometimes money solves these things and sometimes it doesn’t and if he’s prepared to sit and wait for a long period of time then maybe eventually he’ll get to force a trade to where he wants, but I don’t think that because he said he wants a trade on Monday the Browns are waking up and going, ‘Oh boy, Myles Garret is unhappy. Let’s get on the phone now and see what kind of offers we get.’ They’re not doing that.
Schefter said that the Browns claim they are uninterested in trading Garrett even in a deal involving two first round picks. While that could be a leverage play, it strongly suggests that any return package would need to be substantial, perhaps gargantuan, to generate interest on Cleveland’s side.
If the Packers aren’t willing to break the bank, they shouldn’t waste time on Garrett fantasies and should look instead to a robust free agency market including Mack, Haason Reddick, and Josh Sweat.
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