Hall of Famer Jerry Rice wants the 49ers to make what could be one of the most impactful trades in franchise history.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett publicly requested a trade Monday, less than a week after the organization said it wanted him to retire with the team. The announcement opened up every 49ers fan, including Rice, to the fantasy of the reigning defensive player of the year joining the red and gold.
“Man, that’s a dawg,” Rice said of Garrett on 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” on Monday. “That’s a dawg. That’s a no-brainer. If you can get that dawg, you go get him because it’s only going to add to that defense, and you win championships with defense. I don’t care how potent your offense is and how many points you’re putting up, you’ve got to be able to stop the opponent, and he would be a great part to doing that.”
John Lynch and the rest of the Niners front office should very well consider themselves contenders for the disgruntled superstar. Garrett’s statement cited a “desire to win and compete on the biggest stages.” While the Niners failed to do much of that this season, they have shown incredible bounce-back capabilities when they miss the playoffs under Shanahan. After losing Super Bowl 54 in 2020, they missed the next postseason but followed that up with three straight conference championship appearances and another trip to the Super Bowl.
Garrett would almost certainly bring the defensive line back to its dominant form that struck fear in the hearts of quarterbacks across the league. He led the league in tackles for loss last season, he’s had double-digit sacks every year since 2018 — at least 14 sacks a year since 2021 — and he’s earned four All-Pro nods over the past five seasons. Garrett on one end with Nick Bosa on the other would create matchup nightmares for offensive lines and free at least one of the two former DPOY winners each and every play. Combine that with the return of Robert Saleh, and it’s quite an enticing situation for a star to be in.
It all comes down to the Browns’ asking price. While Garrett’s contract is structured in a way that would be cheap for any team acquiring him, Cleveland is estimated to take about a $35 million cap hit if he’s traded before June 1. The AFC North team is certainly in a tougher position because of the trade demand — Garrett will probably have some say in where he goes — but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will just roll over in negotiations.
The Niners’ most valuable trade chip is the No. 11 pick of this year’s draft. Will the organization be willing to give up what it’s earned following a difficult year, plus a little bit more? According to perhaps the greatest player in the team’s history, the answer should unequivocally be “Yes.”
