The Browns will exercise their fifth-year options on defensive end Myles Garrett and tight end David Njoku, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter). With that, both players will remain under club control through the 2021 season. 
The Browns have opted to stay the course with Garrett – the former No. 1 overall pick – despite his role in last year’s brawl against the Steelers. Now reinstated, Garrett will look to build off of the progress he made pre-suspension.The Texas A&M product managed ten sacks in just ten games last season. Had he played a full season, he likely would have shattered his previous watermark of 13.5 sacks from 2018. All in all, he’s got 30.5 sacks, the highest total of any Browns player within the first three years of their career.
Njoku’s decision was actually a tricker one for the Browns since they’ve added Austin Hooper in free agency. Njoku missed the bulk of the 2019 season thanks to a wrist injury and the fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only (next year, that will change, thanks to the new CBA). Before that, the tight end enjoyed a breakout 2018 campaign as he recorded 56 catches for 539 yards and four touchdowns. For comparison: Hooper is a two-time Pro Bowler coming off of his best season ever.
Rudolph still started it
Sure did
It would be moronic to not exercise the 5th year option on Garrett. He’s one of the better players in the league. Not just the browns… Njoku is expendable. Not sure why the browns exercised the 5th year option
Maybe they hope he rebounds and adds value for a potential trade next offseason.
Njoku’s class is the last one that the 5th year option can be easily escaped from. From 2018 on, you’re stuck with a guy if you exercise it, but he’s still able to be dumped next year without penalty as long as he’s healthy.
At worst, he flops and they cut him. At best, he looks good in the new offense and they can keep him around for another year. I don’t think he sticks around long term, but there’s little risk in exercising it now just in case. And we all know Stefanski loves tight ends.