Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts could be a potential landing spot. The news broke on Monday, during Super Bowl week, and the NFL world went into a frenzy. Garrett is one of the league’s best edge rushers and is still in his prime. Therefore, his impact would be felt immediately. However, with many teams needing a good edge rusher, the point must be made about why Myles Garrett would want to come to the Colts and how he could fit into their system.
The Colts are an up-and-coming football team with so much potential for long-term success. They are a few players away from being in contention in the AFC. Garrett would be able to fill a much-needed void to help them get into contention. During his Year-End Press Conference, Chris Ballard mentioned that the team has plenty of money to make a splash in the offseason. Getting a playmaker like Garrett would be a huge splash and would also silence the many critics of Ballard who think he is too conservative. The Colts need to be anything but conservation in 2025 and acquiring Myles Garrett would prove wise.
Why the Colts Need to Strongly Consider Acquiring Myles Garrett
His Career Thus Far
Myles Garrett was drafted number one overall by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. Throughout his time in Cleveland, he has lived up to being a number-one pick and has made a tremendous impact on the Browns. In his eight seasons in the league, he has been selected four times as a first-team all-pro. He has been to six Pro Bowls and has been the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. Needless to say, Garrett is, without a doubt, an impact player dripping with talent.
Even though he would be going into his ninth season, Garrett is still playing at a high level. In 2024, he led the league in tackles for loss with 22. He also managed 28 quarterback hits, 14 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 40 solo tackles. This level of production is something that the Colts haven’t seen on their roster in over a decade.
The Colts Void at Edge Rusher
The last time the Colts had an impact edge rusher would be Robert Mathis in 2013. In that year, he racked up 19 sacks and made the first-team all-pro. Since then and since Mathis’s departure in 2016, the Colts have struggled to find a consistent pass-rusher. Kwity Paye has been solid, but not an impact player. Laiatu Latu has tremendous potential, but still has a lot to learn. As of late, the Colts’ most consistent pass-rusher has been DeForest Buckner who plays inside of the line. While that is certainly a necessity on defense, having that edge pressure is also a must-have. The Colts have tried the draft time and time again, but have not tried free agency and this is where Myles Garrett would come into play. Coupling his skills with the talent in the middle and the young prospect in Latu would be huge.
Laiatu Latu made the PFWA 2024 All-Rookie Team, which is quite an accomplishment. That being said, though, he still has much to learn, and who better to learn from that one of the greats? Myles Garrett is great, and would not only make an impact on the field for the Colts but would also make an impact amongst his fellow linemen. If a team can shore up their defensive line and be disruptive to opposing quarterbacks, it creates success. The Colts struggled mightily on defense the last few seasons and therefore adding a playmaker like Garrett would steer this franchise back to winning ways.
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