Reporting from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda has an update on the Buffalo Bills interest in Cleveland Browns defensive end, Myles Garrett. Bills' general manaer Brandon Beane has previously expressed interest in Garrett, who requested a trade earlier this offseason. Now, things are official- The Buffalo Bills will put in a bid to acquire him.
Chasing greatness
The Bills have been in need of an x-factor at the pass rusher position for a long time. They signed DE Von Miller to a major contract three seasons ago, and he did well before his ACL injury dampened the rest of his time in Buffalo.
The effort is there, but things haven't worked out yet. They've drafted multiple defensive ends, highlighted by Greg Rousseau, but none have earned elite status. If there was ever a player they could not miss on, it would be Myles Garrett.
The team will be bidding on Garrett, per Pauline, and he won't be cheap. Any competitive offer will need to feature at minimum a first-round draft pick and some change. He's a rare talent. Here's a look at a possible package to secure the legendary defensive end.
He may be as expensive at two first rounders but, with the financial implications of a new contract extension, he could earn the Browns less than that. Still, he's worth it.
The impact of Myles Garrett
Garrett has been nothing short of historic in his career thus far. In only eight seasons, he's racked up 102.5 sacks, 38th on the offical all-time list. As a run-stopper, he's exquisite, and he rips through double-teams with consistency. A player of his mass shouldn't have the athletic traits he does, but Myles Garrett is a unicorn.
On his current pace, he'd break the NFL all-time record for sacks in less than eight more seasons. Since his rookie year, he's averaging just under 14 sacks per year. Garrett has 200 QB hits, and 352 tackles, but his impact is bigger that stats.
With a player like Myles Garrett on the line, the rest of the Buffalo Bills defense will feast. Greater pressure rate forces more errant throws to the secondary, and the double-teams focus on Garrett allows players like Ed Oliver to feast on interior linemen one-on-one. Like a great receiver frees up his colleagues by drawing coverage, Garrett is a vacuum for opposing offenses.
Even without Garrett, Buffalo will be working hard to bring in new talent at the position. Pauline has previously reported the Bills interest in DE Preston Smith, showing a distinct effort to target top-tier pass-rushers this offseason. The Buffalo Bills want a game-changer, and they're fighting to get them.