The Detroit Lions are viewed as one of the league's best fits for an elite defender that has entered the trade market.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who has earned All-Pro honors four times in his career and is one of the best at his position in the league, formally requested a trade on Monday in his pursuit of winning a Super Bowl in his career.
Trading for Garrett will not be easy. Lions general manager Brad Holmes stated during his end of season press conference that trading for an edge rusher, as he did at the deadline for Za'Darius Smith, was difficult given the amount of players that were realistically available.
As a result, any deal for Garrett would come at a hefty cost. The Lions would have to part ways with hefty draft capital or significant contributors to land the services of one of the league's best pass rushers.
Here are three trade proposals the Lions could make in an effort to land the All-Pro defender.
Proposal 1
Lions get: Myles Garrett, 2025 third-round pick (from Buffalo).
Browns get: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 third-round pick, 2026 first-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick.
If the Lions are going to make this deal without giving up a player, then it's going to require parting with multiple first-round picks. The Lions have been able to have plenty of success in the draft under Holmes, meaning that these picks hold immense value for the organization.
However, with the Lions having Super Bowl aspirations, their hope is that these picks will be slotted near the end of the first round. That could ease the sting of losing several selections, as will the presence of one of the league's best edge rushers.
Giving up multiple firsts is a hefty price, but the Lions would get a Day 2 pick in addition to one of the best defenders in the game.
Proposal 2
Lions get: Myles Garrett.
Browns get: Hendon Hooker, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 third-round pick.
With plenty of uncertainty at the quarterback position, the Browns could use another option to take a chance on. The Browns do have the second overall pick, but without a clear-cut top option in this year's quarterback class and the promise of next year's, taking a chance on a player like Hooker would make sense.
The reason I believe a second-round pick would also have to be included is because Hooker is unproven. Hooker has two years remaining on his rookie deal, and the Browns may not be sold on his value.
As a result, this wouldn't be a trade the Lions could simply make player for player. Adding the first-round pick would entice the Browns, and allow them to add another premium talent.
For Detroit, moving Hooker is a necessary sacrifice to land a player like Garrett. While he has intriguing promise, the Lions already have their franchise quarterback in place and could elect to add a veteran backup in the short-term, or take another swing at a quarterback in this year's Draft.
Proposal 3
Lions get: Myles Garrett, 2025 third-round pick.
Browns get: Brian Branch, 2025 second-round pick.
This would be the toughest pill to swallow for the Lions and their fans. Branch has emerged into one of the league's best young safeties, and he still has two more years of team control. However, with the Lions facing several tough contract decisions, they won't be able to pay everyone.
In this scenario, the Lions would choose to pay fellow Kerby Joseph instead. For Cleveland, Branch would be a huge addition as he can play either safety position or slot cornerback. As one of the more versatile young defenders, Branch would be a big help for the defense.
Ultimately, if the Lions want to make the move without sacrificing their top draft picks then this is the magnitude of a deal that it would require. Losing Branch would hurt, but adding an elite talent at a premium position would still be quite beneficial.
