Myles Garrett wants the Browns to trade him to a contender. Could that contender be the Lions? Detroit’s stud pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is hoping so. He recently said that the two have spoken about the possibility of uniting but understands it would be a challenge.
“If me and Myles [Garrett] were to pair up, that would be deadly,” Hutchinson said on actor and Lions fan Taylor Lautner’s The Squeeze podcast. “We were at the [NFL] Honors, and we were just talking about what could be. And although it’s probably unlikely, I would be thrilled to play next to him if it were to happen. Our whole d-line would be just totally elevated. That’d be a scary defensive line. And we get along, too.”
“If he does, great, but we’ll see.”
Aidan Hutchinson was an early favorite for the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Award before he suffered a season-ending injury. Myles Garrett was the defending holder, but did not win despite being a finalist again. If the Lions were to pull off a trade, they would have arguably the best pass-rushing tandem in the league.
Hutchinson recorded 7.5 sacks in 2024 despite playing in only five games, including 4.5 in one game. In 39 career games over three years, he has 28.5 sacks as the Lions’ former second-overall pick. Myles Garrett, a former first-overall pick, recently became the youngest player to record 100 career sacks. But he doesn’t want to be like Joe Thomas and ride out a Hall of Fame career knowing nothing but losing.
Around the time of the Super Bowl, Garrett announced his request that the Browns trade him. He took his argument to radio row, where he met up with Hutchinson. At some point along the way, they fantasized about the possibility of hooking up with the Lions.
For their part, the Browns have been vocal about their intent to not trade Garrett. But any team wanting to trade a player, or being willing to do so, wouldn’t vocalize that willingness. That would only threaten to lower the trade value. A team like the Lions, on the very cusp of winning the Super Bowl, might be persuaded to make such a move.
Myles Garrett is 29 years old and going into his ninth NFL season. He doesn’t see a future for the Browns to contend for a title during his time. The Lions would, in theory, be a great fit for him. But are the Lions interested in trading for him for what it would cost? And are the Browns actually open to considering offers that don’t go beyond all reason?
It might just depend on Garrett and how hard he is prepared to lean on the Browns. He already has made enough money to get by for the rest of his life. Would he dare to threaten not to play — even to retire? After all, there is next to nothing he hasn’t accomplished individually already. And unless he can pair with a team like the Lions and Aidan Hutchinson, the Browns’ refusal to trade him would ensure that he can achieve nothing collectively.
