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Myles Garrett

Disruptive defender will have hot market

Myles Garrett is looking to be traded, understandable with Cleveland being a train wreck that can't reasonably contend until the Deshaun Watson contract is in the rear-view mirror. The Browns say they're not going to trade him, but we'll see.

On the one hand, it makes sense that Cleveland wouldn't want to lose the defensive face of the franchise, arguably its only current elite player. But reality might set in that they're not going to be a legit contender anytime soon, and with Garrett not getting any younger (he's 29), now might be the time to move him for a bunch of draft picks.

Washington has been floated as a possibility, but other contending teams like Buffalo would also make sense. Any team really, with Garrett one of the most disruptive players in the history of the league.

Since 2000, there are basically three defensive players a level above everyone else when it comes to wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. Certain Hall of Famers J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald, and Garrett.

The table below, compiled using the search tools at pro-football-reference.com, shows sack, quarterback hits, and tackles for loss numbers compiled since 2000 by all defenders to play in at least 100 games. Watt tops the list, averaging over 4 of those plays (combined) per game. Only two other defenders average more than 3 per week: Donald and Garrett.

DISRUPTIVE DEFENDERS, 2000-PRESENT
PlayerGSkTFLQBHitsTotalTot/G
J.J. Watt151114.51953176274.1
Myles Garrett117102.51162004193.6
Aaron Donald154111.01762605473.6
Joey Bosa10772.0871563152.9
Jared Allen187136.01712285352.9
Danielle Hunter13699.51251573822.8
Trey Hendrickson11077.0711553032.8
Chris Jones13880.5871953632.6
Khalil Mack167107.51421854352.6
Matt Judon13172.0941743402.6
Justin Houston170112.01321854292.5
DeForest Buckner14167.5881753312.3
Cameron Jordan226121.51602335152.3
Jadeveon Clowney14058.01081393052.2
Calais Campbell261110.51872665642.2
Markus Golden12751.0681402592.0
Jonathan Allen10942.0601182202.0
DeMarcus Lawrence14161.5971262852.0
Frank Clark12858.5671312572.0
Leonard Floyd13866.5711382762.0
Cameron Heyward21188.51331994212.0
Shaquil Barrett13259.0731252571.9
Sam Hubbard10438.555981921.8
Bruce Irvin14056.5701312581.8
Melvin Ingram14858.5821312721.8
Fletcher Cox18870.0881733311.8
Bud Dupree13659.0761002351.7
Brandon Graham20676.51261533561.7
Denico Autry15262.0831132581.7
Kyle Williams18348.51031412931.6
Grady Jarrett15236.5771262401.6
Akiem Hicks14941.5751152321.6
Dante Fowler14255.570872131.5
Sheldon Richardson13833.5641052031.5
Lavonte David19839.0169732811.4
Arden Key10426.533851451.4
Javon Hargrave13045.555791801.4
Jerry Hughes22570.0961423081.4
Frankie Luvu10528.058551411.3
Arik Armstead13335.546951771.3
Shaq Lawson11026.042771451.3
Warren Sapp12154.578221551.3
Maliek Collins13630.551881701.2
Samson Ebukam11333.038691401.2
Quinton Jefferson11528.531811411.2
Demario Davis21044.51101022571.2
Kenny Clark14035.051761621.2
Brian Urlacher18241.5138242041.1
Dorance Armstrong Jr.10928.530621211.1
Shelby Harris12927.551601391.1
Charles Harris10319.531601111.1
B.J. Hill11223.529661191.1
Jerome Baker10424.533491071.0
Adam Butler11427.038461111.0

Maybe this will all be for naught; the Browns will get out of the Watson contract and make a couple of key moves that have Garrett thinking the team can contend this season. Or maybe Cleveland will just dig in its heels and say you're playing for us or no one.

But a possible Garrett trade is going to be one of the big offseason stories. He'd make a good team a championship contender pretty quickly.

--Andy Richardson

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