Just how plausible is a Cardinals’ trade for Myles Garrett?

The Myles Garrett sweepstakes are on this offseason after he publicly requested a trade out of Cleveland last week.

Knowing where the Arizona Cardinals’ pass-rushing department is heading into a huge Year 3 for the current regime, it was only natural for fans (and media members) to dive deeper into a potential pairing of the two sides.

But just how likely is a Garrett-Cardinals marriage?

Taking a look at what a potential Garrett trade might command and the current landscape of NFL franchises, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell didn’t completely rule out Arizona as a potential landing spot.

Instead, the Cardinals found themselves in the “unlikely but plausible” tier with eight other teams.

The Cardinals have been patient with their rebuild over the past two years. Coach Jonathan Gannon is a fertile defensive mind and has pieced together creative sim pressures to generate a pass rush over that stretch, but he took over a defense that ranked 24th in expected points added (EPA) per play in 2022, saw them fall to dead last in 2023 and got them back to 22nd in 2024.

To move forward and compete for a playoff berth, Arizona needs an edge rushing presence. It will get back BJ Ojulari after the 2023 second-round pick missed the season with a torn ACL and could re-sign free agent Baron Browning after trading for him in midseason, but Garrett would be the sort of big swing the Cardinals might need to propel the defense forward. No, an 8-9 record might not scream championship contender, but it usually isn’t hard to convince players to head to Arizona.

It’s no shock the Cardinals could use some additional pass-rushing help after watching Zaven Collins pace the team with five sacks last season. Dennis Gardeck had racked up three sacks through seven games before a torn ACL cut his season short.

The production from the outside linebackers room paired with an injury-riddled defensive line led to Arizona finishing 28th in pass-rush win rate with a 33% mark.

Garrett himself posted a 22% PRWR last year. That came in tied as the fifth best mark among edge rushers.

What would a Myles Garrett trade look like?

Looking at some of the potential trade comparisons for Garrett, Barnwell harkened back to a trade many around the Valley will remember all too well: the DeAndre Hopkins-David Johnson deal.

Narrowing down the criteria to players from the last 40 seasons who were named first-team All-Pro three times before being traded in their 20s, Barnwell found the Hopkins move and five other comps.

Hopkins was entering his age-28 season and coming off a 1,165-yard, seven-touchdown season, making his third consecutive first-team All-Pro appearance in the process. While he wanted a new contract with three years left to go on his existing pact and eventually got some new money from the Cardinals, it was a superstar at a premium position in the prime of his career, which made this a disastrously low return for the Texans. And ironically, this trade helped lead to Watson requesting to leave Houston, which has now led to Garrett wanting to move on from Cleveland.

While it fits Barnwell’s criteria, Cleveland getting a similar return of a player Arizona was moving on from and a second- and fourth-round pick seems nowhere near any potential asking price for Garrett. And that’s even with the added caveat of likely having to extend the pass rusher following any move.

At least the Cardinals are in the conversation

While Barnwell has the Cardinals and eight other teams in the plausible category, he has 11 already ruled out in his eyes. On the other end of the spectrum, Barnwell has three teams in the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders as his sweet spots for a potential Garrett trade.

Just below the sweet spot teams are four maybes in the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers.

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