Growing Myles Garrett And Browns Rift Gives Bears Another Shot
Losing out on Maxx Crosby was frustrating for Chicago Bears fans. He represented the one surefire way the team had of upgrading its pass rush after a middling 2025 season. The Baltimore Ravens became the big winners of that chance, forking over two 1st round picks. Now, Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson are forced to search for answers elsewhere. Well, it might be interesting to discover that revisiting the Myles Garrett situation isn’t a bad idea.
It was reported last year that the Bears checked in on the availability of the single-season sack record holder before ultimately settling for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. They were rebuffed. Have circumstances changed? Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado indicated that tensions between the future Hall of Famer and the Browns organization have risen substantially. It is believed the catalyst was the team’s decision to hire Todd Monken as head coach, which led to the departure of beloved defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Myles Garrett has plenty of reasons to force his way out.
The Browns may have paid him a massive contract, but that doesn’t seem to have helped their efforts to build a contender. Their entire offensive line needs rebuilding, their primary quarterback option is Shedeur Sanders, who played poorly last season, and it’s no guarantee Schwartz’s replacement will be nearly as good. This team faces an extensive rebuild. At 30 years old, that probably isn’t something Garrett is thrilled about. If he is contemplating forcing his way out, the sooner the better.
While giving up two 1st round picks for Crosby wasn’t a line the Bears were willing to cross, this is different. Myles Garrett is the best pass rusher in the NFL. He has a case for being the best player, period. The guy is an alien. Typical age concerns don’t apply to him, just like they didn’t with Reggie White, Bruce Smith, and Julius Peppers. This is somebody who will produce double-digit sacks into at least his mid-30s and perhaps beyond. If the Bears were ever going to take that big swing, this is the guy to do it for.
| Season | Team | Sacks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cleveland Browns | 23.0 | Set NFL single-season record |
| 2024 | Cleveland Browns | 14.0 | Surpassed 100 career sacks in Week 16 |
| 2023 | Cleveland Browns | 14.0 | Named NFL Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2022 | Cleveland Browns | 16.0 | Tied his then-franchise record |
| 2021 | Cleveland Browns | 16.0 | Set his first franchise single-season record |
| 2020 | Cleveland Browns | 12.0 | Recorded in 14 games played |
| 2019 | Cleveland Browns | 10.0 | Limited to 10 games played |
| 2018 | Cleveland Browns | 13.5 | First Pro Bowl selection |
| 2017 | Cleveland Browns | 7.0 | Rookie season (11 games) |
Don’t count on the Browns budging.
Myles Garrett already put immense pressure on the organization to trade him. Their response was to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. They have made it clear that their goal is to keep him in Cleveland at all costs. It’s unlikely that stance has changed after he set the NFL record for most sacks in a season. Then again, Garrett’s lack of communication feels like a clear message that he is fed up with the organization. They have been badly mishandling everything since he joined the team in 2017.
The team had a quarterback in Baker Mayfield. They threw him aside for Deshaun Watson. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has led them to the playoffs twice, the only coach in franchise history to do so. He was kicked to the curb, too. What selling point do they have left that could convince Garrett to stay? Nothing. That is why the Bears should do everything in their power to lure him away.
Crosby was good. This is better.