After a seismic trade that turned the entire NBA on its head, NFL superstar Myles Garrett is following suit. Garrett officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns on Monday citing his desire to win a Super Bowl. As a 2024 playoff team with one of the best coaches in the league, the LA Chargers may be able to provide that opportunity.
The Chargers have some questions that need to be answered at the edge rusher position this offseason as well. It is unclear what the Chargers' edge rusher room will look like in 2025 with Khalil Mack being a free agent and Joey Bosa being a textbook cap casualty.
Perhaps part of that answer involves Garrett.
Why the Chargers could pull off a Myles Garrett trade with the Browns
1. The Chargers have more than enough money
Paying Garrett in 2025 and beyond would not be an issue in the slightest for the Chargers. As it stands right now, the Chargers have $63.4 million in projected cap space this offseason, which is the fifth most in the entire league.
The Chargers are set up to absorb Garrett's cap hit this season and can pay him in the future as well. Only the Las Vegas Raiders has less money on the books in 2026 than the LA Chargers, who have a projected $174.6 million in cap space.
Any team in the market for Garrett would not only have to afford his contract this season but in the future as well. This naturally eliminates many teams throughout the league and plays into the Chargers' favor as one of the most financially flexible teams this offseason.
It's also worth mentioning the Chargers can create an additional $25.36 million by cutting Joey Bosa. This alone would pay for Garrett's incoming cap hit.
2. Myles Garrett trade value may not be as high as people think
The immediate expectation for many after Garrett announced his trade request was that the Browns would get an absolute haul for the All-Pro edge rusher. After all, Garrett is one of the best edge rushers of this generation and it was not that long ago that Khalil Mack was traded to the Chicago Bears for a slew of picks that included two first-rounders.
The one key difference in Mack's situation is that he was 27 when he was traded whereas Garrett is 29. That may not seem like a massive difference but the prime windows for NFL edge rushers are often small. There is a big difference between being 27 with four years of mileage and being 29 with eight years of mileage.
Keep in mind the Chargers traded for Mack after his eighth season in the league and that warranted a second and sixth-round pick. Granted, the situation was different and Mack was older than Garrett is now, but that kind of mileage does factor into how much teams are willing to trade.
Garrett's price will be between those two trades, with one NFL executive saying it will cost one first-round pick, either one second-round pick or two third-round picks, and a player. At that price, the Chargers can legitimately consider it.