Bears Go All-in on $125 Million Superstar in Blockbuster Trade Pitch

Getty Bears general manager Ryan Poles could make an all-in trade at the NFL deadline.

The Chicago Bears are more likely to sell than buy at the NFL trade deadline on November 5, but one elite name — Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett — could tempt general manager Ryan Poles to make an all-in blockbuster move.

The Browns are 1-6 to start the 2024 season and just lost starting quarterback Deshaun Watson to an Achilles injury for the remainder of the year, ramping up rumors that the team will hit the reset button and try to auction off some of its best veteran trade chips. Cleveland has already struck a deal for one veteran playmaker, sending wide receiver Amari Cooper and a sixth-round selection to Buffalo for third- and seventh-rounders.

Now, trade interest turns to Garrett, the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and it sounds as though the Bears have him on their radar. According to Sportsmockery’s Erik Lambert, sources have told him that both Garrett and Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby have general manager Ryan Poles’ attention ahead of the trade deadline.

In light of those NFL trade rumors, Sports Illustrated’s Evan Massey also cooked up a potential trade between the Bears and Browns for Garrett, arguing that Chicago could take its defense “to the next level” with an all-in move for the former No. 1 overall pick.

“Chicago acquiring Garrett would instantly make them a much more serious contender in the NFC. He would bring elite help to the pass-rush and would take the defense to the next level,” Massey wrote on October 22.

“With an offense that has shown signs of being very dangerous, the impact that Garrett would make on the defense would make them a team to watch for years to come.”

Myles Garrett Would Cost Bears an Exorbitant Amount

The Bears would almost certainly need to give up a fortune to acquire Garrett from the Browns before the 2024 trade deadline. For example, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay drew up several trade proposals for the 28-year-old defensive end and suggested an acquiring team would need to offer a package that includes two first-round picks — and more.

Based on Kay’s suggestions, the Bears would likely need to offer a package like this:

Cleveland Browns receive: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, defensive end Darrell Taylor

Chicago Bears receive: Defensive end Myles Garrett.

While the Bears have three selections in the first two rounds — including 1-6 Carolina’s second-round pick — it is difficult to imagine Poles would give up so many assets for one player, even for one who is arguably the best overall defensive player in the league.

The Bears would have trouble completing such a trade even if the forfeited draft capital was a non-issue. Garrett signed a five-year, $125 million contract with the Browns back in 2020 that carries nearly the same annual value as Montez Sweat’s $98 million deal. He has a cap hit of $20.16 million in 2024 and carries hits of $19.72 million and $20.37 million in each of the next two seasons, respectively.

Due to the Browns restructuring Garrett’s contract, he will also cost roughly $37.68 million against the cap during his void year in 2026 when he is no longer on the roster. The Bears could technically work the numbers to fit him, but it would be a headache that severely limits their ability to spend and invest in other positions of need.

Teams ‘Fishing’ for Myles Garrett on Trade Market

The Bears’ financial situation would make them longshot suitors — if suitors at all — for Garrett at the deadline, but it does not sound like the Browns are keen on moving him.

“Speaking of trades, the Browns will get phone calls now, based on their 1–6 record and the fact that they just offloaded Cooper,” Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer wrote on October 21. “I don’t think they’ll move Myles Garrett (but some fishing has taken place; anyone can call), Denzel Ward or Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.”

Breer is one of the most plugged-in insiders in the league, so it holds water when he writes that he does not think the Browns will move Garrett at the upcoming deadline. That said, the Browns might not have the luxury of resisting a strong offer if another team offers the farm for Garrett, especially if it helps them figure out their QB future.

The Bears, however, would need to veer far off script to make a Garrett swap possible. Poles has made some game-changing trades over his first 33 months as GM, including acquiring Sweat, D.J. Moore and a pick haul that yielded them rookie Caleb Williams, but he has also avoided the blockbuster overpays that doomed the previous regime.

Never say never, but don’t expect Chicago to pull the trigger on a trade for Garrett.