Buccaneers Eye Trade for Myles Garrett to Enhance Defense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considering a trade for Myles Garrett, the elite edge rusher from the Cleveland Browns, to strengthen their team after last season's playoff exit.
In football, a single standout player can make all the difference, and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, that player was notably missing. The team's inability to secure an effective edge rusher hindered their advancement past the NFC Wild Card Round, resulting in a 23-20 upset loss to the Washington Commanders in Tampa.
Former Buccaneers star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy suggested that the team should pursue disgruntled Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, an elite edge rusher who has expressed a desire to be traded.
“(Tampa Bay) brought in Shaq Barrett at the end of the year to bolster the edge rush because they felt like they didn't have enough,” McCoy mentioned during an appearance on “This is Football With Kevin Clark” on February 4. “In the playoffs, if they had a guy who could get to (Washington quarterback) Jayden Daniels, it would have changed everything for that team. The offense was a top five offense.”
He added, “If (the Buccaneers) had a guy like Myles Garrett on the edge, it would solidify what this team could be... if you are just a piece away from not just being a better team but, like, literally winning it all, you gotta go get a Myles Garrett because he's that guy for more things than just his play.”
Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, has been named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and is a six-time NFL All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.
The Browns are in a tough spot, coming off a 3-14 season— their worst since going 0-16 during Garrett's rookie year. Additionally, they are committed to quarterback Deshaun Watson with $92 million in guaranteed money due over the 2025 and 2026 seasons, which totals a salary cap impact of $145.2 million in that timeframe. Winning seems unsustainable for the team in the short term, which may drive Garrett to seek a new opportunity.
Calculating what it might cost the Buccaneers to acquire Garrett involves considering his current financial obligations. He is set to earn $19.7 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026 from the five-year, $120 million contract extension he signed in July 2020. The Buccaneers would likely need to navigate some financial maneuvers to facilitate this move.
Moreover, determining what the Buccaneers would need to give up to secure Garrett could be complex. Using the 2022 trade deal in which the Miami Dolphins acquired wide receiver Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs as a reference, the Buccaneers could expect to offer a combination of picks including their 2025 first, second, and fifth round picks, along with a potential 2026 first round pick in a proposed trade.
