It’s NFL trade rumor season with the November 4 deadline fast approaching and the latest buzz on the Philadelphia Eagles is pretty juicy.
The Birds are said to be interested in Cleveland Browns superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett.
NFL insider Charles Robinson recently had the following to say during an appearance on ESPN Nashville’s 102.5 The Game (via @JackMcCurry08):
“Rumor going around … and I have not heard it out of the Eagles, but I’ve heard it from a couple of other super high-ranking people in other teams that are clearly on the phones. That Howie Roseman and the Eagles are super hot after Myles Garrett. That Howie would give up, like, three first-round picks for him.”
“Which, you know, if it’s coming from the Eagles, those are three late firsts. So, it’s even arguable … when you get through the draft process, how many first-round grades do you really have? Maybe you have between 14 and 18 in a typical year. And that means if you’re drafting in the late 20s, early 30s, you’re not even getting a player that’s really considered on your board, unless you’re lucky, you’re not getting a player that maybe you have a first-round grade on.”
“But, yeah, so that’s kinda like this rumor that’s out there. Like, hey, Howie would really love a shot at [Garrett]. But, again, I was told by the Browns they’re not interested in moving him.”
The Eagles were previously rumored to be interested in Garrett earlier this offseason. But then any possibility of that dream ended when Garrett went back on his trade request and instead signed a four-year, $160 million contract with the Browns.
Though the money must be really nice, it seems like the 29-year-old may have some regrets staying in Cleveland. The Browns are 2-6 after losing a game despite the fact that Garrett himself notched FIVE sacks. The four-time first-team All-Pro edge rusher looked to be very upset on the sidelines during the game and then in the locker room afterwards.
As Robinson noted, the Browns have reportedly maintained that they are not trading Garrett. And some will point to his contract being an immovable obstacle. But the latter is not necessarily the case, as recently outlined by ESPN’s Dan Graziano:
Thing is, I dug into the contract a bit this week, and I don’t think it’s out of the question that the Browns could trade Garrett — even this week — if he really wanted out. The extension added $7 million to his 2025 compensation and $6 million to his 2026 compensation. It also guaranteed him about $30.5 million for 2027. The signing bonus on the new deal was around $21 million, which isn’t super-onerous for a contract of that size. If the Browns traded him right now, his 2025 cap number would stay about the same, and they’d incur about $41 million in dead money for 2026 — roughly $17.5 million more than his current 2026 cap charge.
That’s a lot of dead money, but it’s not even close to the record. The Broncos took on about $80 million when they cut Russell Wilson last year, and they made the playoffs last season and look poised to do so again. The Buccaneers are still carrying Tom Brady dead money and they win their division every season. We see teams do this more and more as the salary cap continues to rise significantly each year. If someone came offering the Browns, say, two first-round picks, and Garrett (who has a no-trade clause and could therefore veto a deal) really wanted out, it would probably be worth considering.
Further, NFL insider Albert Breer also recently made the case for the Browns trading Garrett. Does he write that if he’s 100% certain they’re not moving him?
The likelihood is that Garrett won’t be moved. But it’s not impossible. And so where the “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?” meme from Dumb and Dumber applies, we all know Roseman is going to effort to acquire a truly special talent.
Case in point: the Eagles were reportedly very interested in Micah Parsons (who had mutual interest in coming back to Pennsylvania). And to the point where the Eagles reportedly offered “two [first-round picks], a [third-round pick], a [fifth-round pick], amongst others things.”
Parsons (26) is younger than Garrett (29). But Garrett could still have plenty of good seasons left in him.
With the Eagles really in need of pass rush help, I wouldn’t rule out Roseman getting aggressive and trying to land one of the NFL’s best defenders. I don’t think the Eagles should trade A.J. Brown, to be clear, but it’s possible they could move him and then use that return into completing a Garrett deal. Even better if they don’t need to move Brown for that to happen.
What say you? Do you think the Eagles will trade for Garrett? Should they pay what it takes?
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