The already-stacked AFC North just got a little tougher.
The Baltimore Ravens traded for five-time Pro Bowl EDGE rusher Maxx Crosby. New head coach Jesse Minter now has a prime defensive piece to anchor his defense and bounce back after Baltimore's disappointing 2025 campaign on that side of the field.
Of course, that's terrible news for every quarterback in the division. Crosby joins the likes of Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt, and guys like Joe Burrow should be reviewing their insurance policies upon hearing this news.
However, Crosby's AFC North arrival means much more than that. It also gave the Cleveland Browns a blueprint and baseline for a potential Myles Garrett trade. That's not to say they want to trade him now or will even entertain the idea in the future, but it at least sets an asking price.
Maxx Crosby trade just set the bar for any Myles Garrett deal
The Baltimore Ravens sent two first-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders to get Crosby. It was the first time in franchise history they decided to part ways with a first-round selection to acquire any player.
That's in line with what the Dallas Cowboys received from Micah Parsons: First-round picks in consecutive drafts, with the Cowboys also getting a starting-caliber defensive player in defensive tackle Kenny Clark. With all due respect to both Crosby and Parsons, Garrett should be more valuable.
While Garrett (30) is slightly older than Crosby (29) and four years older than Parsons (26), he's by far the best player of the three. Despite playing just two more seasons than Crosby, he has 56 more sacks. That's 28 more sacks per additional year in the league.
Garrett is a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and just set a record with 23 sacks in a single season. Just last season, he also led the league in tackles for loss (33) for the second straight year.
Moreover, Garrett is as durable as they come. He's played in 134 games (131 starts) since he entered the league as the No. 1 pick back in 2017. He's only missed 15 games in his nine-year career, and he hasn't missed more than two since he played only 10 games in 2019. Availability is the best of abilities, and we're talking about otherworldly production and unmatched health at the position.
Just last season, Garrett logged 84 total pressures (4th most among EDGE rushers), 45 hurries (8th), 14 QB hits (11th), 46 stops (2nd), 3 forced fumbles (4th), and played 869 total snaps (3rd). Pro Football Focus gave him the highest grade among 115 eligible players in his position (92.7), the highest pass-rush grade (93.3), and the third-highest run-defense grade (82.5).
Given the Browns' struggles, players like Garrett will always be tangled up in trade rumors. He formally requested a trade last offseason before agreeing to a then-record-breaking contract extension that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history. Ironically, that new deal included a no-trade clause.
So, again, as frustrated as he has been at times in Cleveland, there's no reason to believe the Browns will ever consider pulling the plug and just shipping him elsewhere. However, if that were to happen, there's simply no way they can settle for anything less than two first-round picks, a mid-round selection, and a starting-caliber player.
He's the greatest defensive force of his generation, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, and arguably the best player in all of football. You never give up on those players, and if you do, you'd better get the ultimate king's ransom for your trouble.