Myles Garrett wants to be traded from the Browns, but don't go thinking the 49ers are going to be in hot pursuit.
A week before the Super Bowl, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett grabbed NFL headlines declaring he desires a trade with the aim of ultimately winning a championship, something that's evaded him in Northern Ohio since going pro in 2017.
Garrett revealed his request, which has since gone public via plenty of NFL news outlets:
Myles Garrett had requested a trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2025
His statement: pic.twitter.com/V6Lqvbzagv
Without question, 31 other teams should be interested. Garrett, 29 years old, has enjoyed double-digit sacks every year since his rookie season. He was also the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, which means the six-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro will command plenty of attention.
So, the San Francisco 49ers have to be interested, right?
Well, yes. They'd be interested. Garrett is a cornerstone piece, and a would-be addition can finally solve the Niners' years-long quest to find a competent bookend opposite their own star pass-rusher, Nick Bosa.
If anything, Garrett might be the bookend with Bosa as the complement.
But the fantasy of Garrett playing in San Francisco probably ends there. Let's explain.
Myles Garrett would be an all-in move for 49ers (and they won't go there)
Garrett is one of only a handful of defensive players in the league today who'd earn consideration for an NFL MVP award (he was 10th in voting in 2023).
Now, without getting too deep into what Garrett has in his contract with Cleveland, it's safe to assume he'd have at least a little say in his destination, assuming the Browns honor it. And, if having an excellent shot of winning a Super Bowl is preferred, playing for the 49ers alongside Bosa seems smart, right?
Plus, Garrett's would-be absorbed contract is actually, well... affordable:
Remainder of Myles Garrett's contract...
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 3, 2025
2025: $1.3m base salary + $5m roster bonus
2026: $1.3m base salary + $5m roster bonus
Salary-cap hits of $6.3m for an acquiring team. And Garrett might not demand a new deal until after 2025, since his main goal is winning a title
$6 million-plus is bargain-basement cheap for pass-rushers, even the B-level variety. And the Niners have nearly $50 million in available cap space right now.
General manager John Lynch should pull the trigger on a deal right now, right?
Well, not so fast.
There's likely to be enough of a market for Garrett's services that his agent will be able to seek an immediate extension right after a trade goes down, perhaps in the realm of what Bosa is making annually, an average of $34 million per year. Probably more.
While San Francisco might be able to afford that now, all one needs to do is examine quarterback Brock Purdy's future contract to see that paying Garrett would be awfully difficult in 2026 (and beyond) without some serious roster shuffling elsewhere.
Purdy's contract also plays a role in the 49ers' need to hit on some early draft picks over the next few years, including the first- and second-rounders that'd likely be needed to acquire Garrett.
Sure, Garrett is the proven star, whereas draftees are unknowns. But, having highly productive players on rookie contracts is one of the ways teams can stay competitive when they're issuing top dollar to quarterbacks.
In that perspective, the likelihood of the Niners taking Garrett on seems slim. If they did so, a new contract with him would be awfully difficult to engineer.
And Garrett could probably wind up getting that elsewhere.