While intriguing, a Myles Garrett trade likely too rich for Bengals' blood

It's not every day that the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year requests a trade away from his current franchise. But, that's exactly what happened when Myles Garrett took to social media to publicly request a trade away from the Cleveland Browns.

Myles Garrett requested a trade away from the Browns, but don't expect him to wind up in Cincinnati

As soon as the request hit the internet, there were Bengals fans calling on Cincinnati's front office to get a deal done, and understandably so. After all, one area where the Bengals desperately need an upgrade is defensive end, and Garrett is arguably the best player at the position in the entire league.

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Pairing Garrett with Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks in 2024, would immediately form the NFL's most dominant defensive duo. It would also be a dream come true for star quarterback Joe Burrow, because it would mean that he wouldn't have to worry about facing off against him twice a year.

Unfortunately, the Bengals successfully trading for Garrett, seems extremely unlikely, for a couple of reasons. The first being that the Browns don't plan to trade Garrett, despite his request.

Garrett is Cleveland's best player, and the organization's stance is that they don't want to move on from him. That could change of course. But, even if they were down to trade him, it seems extremely unlikely that they'd be willing to trade him to a team within the division and then have to play against him twice a season.

Plus, then there's the financial aspect. The Bengals have several key contributors -- guys like Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson -- seeking new long-term extensions, and it will be difficult enough for Cincinnati to figure out how to pay those guys, let alone bringing in another guy with a massive contract.

Garrett's contract carries salary-cap hits of $19.7 million and $20.4 million in 2025 and 2026, respectively. He's also due a roster bonus worth $5 million in mid-March and would likely be seeking a new deal wherever he's traded to.

So, bringing Garrett on board would require a major financial investment, and while he would be an ideal addition for Cincinnati's defense under new coordinator Al Golden, it's difficult to imagine the Bengals making it happen financially, especially given all of the other contracts and extensions that they have to iron out with their own players over the offseason.