Following a lackluster end to their season, the Green Bay Packers must move swiftly to reestablish dominance in the NFC North. Despite their own playoff shortcoming, the Detroit Lions remain the division’s top team.

The Minnesota Vikings boast a brilliant head coach and achieved 14 victories. Even the Chicago Bears could emerge as playoff contenders if new coach Ben Johnson’s plans unfold successfully. In the NFL, competition often resembles an arms race, and when division rivals are amassing star talent, sometimes the best strategy is to acquire some of your own through trades. Cleveland Browns’ standout Myles Garrett would be the ultimate trade target this offseason.

The four-time first-team All-Pro and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year could be within reach after the Browns’ three-win season. In a recent piece, Packers beat writer Matt Schneidman from The Athletic encouraged the Packers to ponder trading for Garrett this spring to position themselves as genuine title challengers next season.

“The temptation for (general manager Brian) Gutekunst should be to pursue a trade for (Myles Garrett), regardless of the cost or how improbable it may seem given the Packers’ history with such trades (if they’re even available),” Schneidman remarked. “That would demonstrate urgency and potentially propel Green Bay into Super Bowl contention.”

Garrett, 29, has accumulated 102.5 sacks in his 117 career outings, achieving double-digit sack totals every year since his rookie season in 2017. This year, he led the league with 20 tackles for loss and has also forced 20 fumbles over his eight seasons. The five-year, $125 million contract Garrett inked with the Browns is fully guaranteed through 2026, meaning the Packers would secure two years of Garrett at just over $40 million.

Game-changers earn that moniker for a reason. Garrett could arrive in Green Bay immediately and transform the complexion of the Packers’ solid-but-not-spectacular defense, making them a formidable opponent by 2025.