The news about Browns premiere edge rusher Myles Garrett requesting a trade has been the number one NFL story this week outside of the Eagles and Chiefs playing in the Super Bowl on Sunday. It’s even more newsworthy in Tampa since the Bucs are in need of a pass rusher, have more cap room than they’ve had in years, and also have their Super Bowl window still open.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs fans unequivocally want their team to make a move for the best pass rusher in the game. Ultimately, it will come down to general manager Jason Licht and the front office to do what’s necessary to find the right deal in place and bring Garrett to Tampa.

Will it happen? That remains to be seen, and there’s going to be a lot of competition from other teams that also want him. This doesn’t mean that the Bucs will be out of the race, and the team has one former star who played under Jason Licht that badly wants Tampa Bay to go after Garrett and fix the defense in one fell swoop.

Former Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy went on Tampa’s radio show “The Drive With TKras” on 95.3 WDAE as Tom Krasniqi was in New Orleans on radio row for the Super Bowl. TKras asked McCoy early into the interview about the Myles Garrett sweepstakes as he give a well thought out reply.

Gerald McCoy Explains Why The Bucs Need Myles Garrett

“Our four leading guys in sacks were three inside interior rushers and Lavonte (David),” McCoy began. “You got to have somebody who can go win a one-on-one on the edge. Yaya, he started to figure it out at the end, but Shaq was sitting at home for obvious great reasons. He went through a rough time, he left Tampa, tired to get away, go to Miami and get a change of scenery.

“If you’ve never been through nothing like that, which I haven’t, you don’t know the toll it took on him losing a child. He was out of football but if the Bucs had what they needed, they wouldn’t have went and got him at the end of the year going into the playoffs, so clearly it’s not a shot at the guys that we have, it’s just reality.

Former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“So when you got a guy who’s a franchise changer like Myles Garrett, and you know he’s loyal. You look at Myles Garrett’s history, I remember, unfortunately, I hate to bring up bad history but when Tampa and I decided to part ways, one of the places I visited was Cleveland. And they interviewed him and said ‘Hey man Gerald’s on the market how would you like to have Gerald McCoy?’ and he was like ‘We’re good with what we got.’

“He had Larry Ogunjobi at the time, which it wasn’t a shot at me. As a player you can take that statement one of two ways, you could say oh, that’s disrespectful or you can say that dude’s loyal to he’s around and that’s how I looked at it for Myles Garrett.

He continued.

“Being who he’s been for that franchise, won Defensive Player Of The Year last year, a finalist this year, he speaks so highly of the franchise and he wants to win there. When he asks for a trade, it’s for good reason.”When you got a guy like that that’s out there and you know that having him on your team can propel you all the way to a Super Bowl with what you got already, you do what’s necessary to go get him.”

Why Every Draft Pick Is Worth It

A big discussion in trading for Myles Garrett is how many draft picks it will cost any team. Right off the bat many have said it will take at least two first round picks to acquire him, at that might just be the starting conversation. The more teams that bad for Garrett, the more that price will drive up.

But as McCoy explains, when there is a generational talent available, that player becomes more important that the potential of what a draft pick could be.

Bucs LB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today

“We’re talking about number one picks, right?” McCoy said. “First round picks, they’re hit or miss, 50/50. Myles Garrett is one hundred percent. Two of them, three of them, could be Myles Garrett. It’s worth it. To get a guy like that? With all the pieces you have in place?”

McCoy then brings up a very intriguing point that may pull on the emotions of Bucs fans. Another storyline this offseason, as it has been for at least the last three season is if inside linebacker Lavonte David will continue to play football. While there’s no answer yet, if the Bucs were able to pull off a trade to bring Myles Garrett to Tampa, that may convince the future Ring of Honor member to play for one more season. And that sentiment is priceless.

“Tampa, if you’re listening, I have a direct line to Lavonte David,” McCoy said. “I spoke to Lavonte yesterday, everybody’s wondering if one of the greatest Bucs if one of the greatest players to ever grace an NFL field is coming back to finish his career in Tampa. I don’t have the answer for you, but if they get Myles Garrett don’t you think that would entice Lavonte David to come back and be a Buccaneer? That’s all I’m saying.”

Listen to the whole interview with McCoy from The Drive With TKras.

Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo also released a video on what the cost would be like for the Bucs to trade for Myles Garrett. Watch the video below and subscribe to our YouTube channel.