Patriots beat writer addresses Myles Garrett speculation

Earlier this week, Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand suggested the club could offer wantaway pass-rusher Myles Garrett to the New England Patriots in return for the No. 4 overall pick of this year's draft and New England's 2026 first-round selection. 

For a mailbag published on Thursday, Patriots beat writer Chris Mason of MassLive explained why he believes New England won't acquire Garrett this offseason. 

"The Patriots need to prioritize their extended future with No. 4 — Garrett turns 30 next season — and I don’t think he’d want to come to New England regardless," Mason wrote. "Garrett has said he’s seeking a trade to a contender, and lest we forget, the Patriots finished 4-13 last year and haven’t won a playoff game since the 2018 season."

Garrett indeed wants to play for a contender such as a Washington Commanders side that just completed a trip to the NFC Championship Game. However, he's under contract through the 2026 season, and that deal does not include a no-trade clause. Thus, he somewhat finds himself in a "beggars can't be choosers" situation this winter. 

Mason noted that the Patriots "should and will be reinforcing the trenches" this offseason. One way to do so presumably would be to land Garrett, a one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year who is still in his prime and may want to reunite with recently hired Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel became a favorite among Cleveland players while serving as a consultant for the club for much of 2024. 

In a mock draft posted on Monday, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic predicted that New England will select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the draft's fourth pick. As much as Campbell could mean to the Patriots years down the road, Vrabel may feel he's ready to win now as Drake Maye prepares to begin working with well-respected offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels ahead of the quarterback's second season. 

Cleveland seemingly isn't in any hurry to trade Garrett, but the Patriots' chances of landing him could decrease after the first round of the 2025 draft ends on the night of April 24. New England has the necessary cap space to make Garrett the league's highest-paid defensive player, the need up front and a young signal-caller who could guide his team to the playoffs as soon as January 2026. 

In short, don't put the idea of the Patriots possibly trading for Garrett to bed just yet.