Myles Garrett
Getty
Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett.
The Cleveland Browns have remained adamant that superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett is not available via trade, but even the game’s best defensive player is gettable for the proverbial godfather offer that no franchise can refuse.
The Detroit Lions want a pass-rusher to pair alongside Aidan Hutchinson, as adding such a player could immediately vault them back into Super Bowl contention in 2026. And with their roster of talented players, plus first-round picks in the next couple of drafts, the Lions are among a small handful of teams that might hold both the incentive and the trade assets to get a deal done for Garrett.
The MLFootball X account on Sunday, March 1 floated a trade proposal on social media swapping star Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and a third-round pick to Cleveland in return for Garrett.
“WHO SAYS NO…?” the caption said. “The #Lions trade Amon-Ra St. Brown and a pick for #Browns superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett. Detroit pairs Garrett with Aidan Hutchison, giving them the best pass [rush] duo in the last 25 years. Cleveland finally receives the WR1 they have been searching for.”
MLFootball
WHO SAYS NO…?
The #Lions trade Amon-Ra St. Brown and a pick for #Browns superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett.
Detroit pairs Garrett with Aidan Hutchison, giving them the best pass duo in the last 25 years.
Cleveland finally receives the WR1 they have been searching for.
🤔
As great as St. Brown has been over his five years in the NFL (four consecutive Pro Bowls and three straight All-Pro selections), Garrett is undisputedly the best edge-rusher in the league, which is an even more premium position than wide receiver — second perhaps only to quarterback.
Because of that, the Browns most likely would not entertain such an offer. However, if the Lions were to include the No. 17 pick in April’s draft alongside St. Brown, who will play next season at just 27 years old, the conversation might become real.
Myles Garrett’s Prime Doesn’t Line Up With Browns’ Timeline
GettyDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Garrett won his second Defensive Player of the Year award after last season, breaking the all-time league record with 23 sacks in a single season. He also added an NFL-leading 33 tackles for loss on his way to a unanimous selection as DPOY.
He clamored for a trade ahead of the 2025 campaign, though the Browns were able to silence his calls by offering Garrett a four-year extension worth $160 million.
In almost any scenario, trading a player of Garrett’s caliber in the heart of his prime makes little to no sense. However, Cleveland is beginning an extensive rebuild on the offensive side of the football and wasted the No. 4 defense in the league on a 4-13 campaign last year. Then, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz left the organization this offseason after the team passed him over for a promotion.
Even if new head coach Todd Monken is everything the Browns hope, it is hard to imagine he can field an competitive team before 2027 and a contender before 2028 — at the earliest in both scenarios. Garrett is under contract through the 2030 campaign when he will play at 35 years old.
St. Brown and a first-round pick may still not be enough, but if the Lions were to toss in another mid-round selection in 2027, it would become a proposal that Cleveland must seriously consider.
Lions Can Survive Offensively Without Amon-Ra St. Brown
Amon-Ra St. Brown
GettyDetroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
From the Lions’ perspective, they have a good enough offense to potentially remain in the top 10 even without St. Brown.
The Lions finished fifth in the league in total offense in 2025 at 373.2 yards per contest, while quarterback Jared Goff ended the campaign as the 12th-ranked signal-caller in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
Jahmyr Gibbs is arguably the best running back in football, and certainly among the top five at his position, heading into just his fourth season. Tight end Sam LaPorta, like Gibbs, is extension-eligible this offseason and poised for a return to the All-Pro status he achieved as a rookie if he can get back to full health after a back injury in 2026.
If the Lions were to trade St. Brown, the offense would still have Jameson Williams and Isaac Teslaa as the top two options in the wide receivers room. The 2026 draft class is also loaded with receiver talent, and while four WRs are projected to go in the first round, there should still be talent available at No. 50 in Round 2 if Detroit is so inclined.