The biggest story of Super Bowl week, at least the start of it, is someone who isn't in the Super Bowl at all. And that's the whole point for Myles Garrett, who went public with a trade request on Monday since he doesn't believe the Cleveland Browns can contend for one anytime soon.
Who knows what a trade package will end up looking like; the Browns likely won't listen to any offers that don't include multiple first-round picks or similarly good assets, and it wouldn't be unprecedented for a player to request a trade and end up signing an extension to stay anyway.
For our purposes here, we'll simply look at the five most fun destinations for Garrett to land as a neutral observer. Also: The man himself said he wants to "compete for and win a Super Bowl," so no, teams without sustained recent success were not considered here.
Detroit Lions
The Browns and Lions did business for a pass rusher this past trade deadline, with Za'Darius Smith heading to Detroit along with a 2026 seventh-round pick for a 2025 fifth and 2026 sixth. And for however outlandish the hypothetical trade discussions for Garrett and the Lions got, the team fit and different timelines are easy to recognize. Detroit is in its Super Bowl window, and pairing Garrett with Aidan Hutchinson would solve the QB pressure issues that represent one of the few holes left in the Lions' operation.
The Lions won 15 games this year, and while both coordinators took head coaching jobs, the organization has reloaded in key areas before during this current regime. It would be perhaps the best shot at the ring Garrett seeks.
Dallas Cowboys
Yes, the Cowboys are connected to pretty much everything because of the popularity. But really think about this for a second. Dallas' new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus likes to lean into high variance and play fast and explosive and with an eye for creating turnovers. He doesn't mind his units giving up yards so long as they don't give up points and force takeaways. Myles Garrett plays 100 miles an hour on every snap, with expertise in forcing turnovers. Oh, that's right, he'd also be paired with Micah Parsons, one of his few nominal pass rushing peers.
The money isn't automatic — the Cowboys are slightly over the cap at present and still need to pay Parsons, plus Garrett is due just shy of $20 million next season and $25 million in 2026 — but it's negligible, and at some point a roster that top-heavy is worth the swing, especially if Jerry Jones is truly all-in.
Buffalo Bills
The Browns and Bills have been recent trade partners in the Amari Cooper deal this past season. The need in Buffalo is clear as day, too: a drive-wrecking, top-end talent to flip possession back over to Josh Allen and Co. just once or twice. The Bills are reliably good on defense under head coach Sean McDermott; Garrett could make them great, and perhaps finally nudge them past the Chiefs in the AFC.
Buffalo will likely part ways with several players this offseason, and the fact it's over the cap at the moment wouldn't ward off a potential pursuit anyway. Whatever the Bills lose in depth would be more than worth it in how Garrett could impact their team as a whole.
Washington Commanders
Here's a fun one you never would have guessed this time last year. Though its broader impact on team-building is complex, the fabled good quarterback on a rookie contract is nevertheless a valuable chip in the NFL, and the Commanders have just that in presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. Moreover, they have a solid amount of talent around him already, or at least enough to the point that fixing the defense should be their top priority.
Dan Quinn probably dreams of an edge rusher the likes of Garrett in his defense, which emphasizes flexibility in the front seven (read: the ability to rush from different spots over and over again) and heavy man coverage. Holding up on the back end is a whole lot easier when a monster (complimentary) like Garrett is chasing quarterbacks. Washington's timeline as a contender is in its nascent stages, and Garrett is still just 29 years old despite his wear and tear. This would be fun.
Philadelphia Eagles
The rich could get richer, and it's not like there aren't straight dots to connect here. General manager Howie Roseman has stocked up the Eagles with solid draft picks, but he also hasn't been afraid to be aggressive in trading for an established player. (A.J. Brown and Darius Slay Jr. are recent hits.) Garrett is just that, and Philadelphia will need to revamp its pass rush room this offseason no matter what with several key players set to hit free agency.
Teams already can't move the ball on the Eagles. How would anyone be expected to deal with a line that includes Garrett, Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis? Especially when it means giving the ball back to Saquon Barkley and that run game that builds out everything they do? If the Eagles come up short again on Sunday, it might be time to engage fully on this pursuit.
