Browns DE Myles Garrett Committed To Winning, Not Rebuilding
Less than a year ago, the Browns and all-world defensive end Myles Garrett engaged in a standoff that concluded in early March with a massive contract extension. Although Garrett landed a four-year, $160MM pact then, his future in Cleveland is once again in question as the offseason approaches.
At 4-12, the Browns are about to wrap up a second straight season in which they’ll finish closer to 32nd overall than a playoff spot. Cleveland has gone 7-26 since 2024, and despite Garrett’s presence, the team has posted a sub-.500 record in seven of the future Hall of Famer’s nine seasons.
When he requested a trade last February, Garrett stated: “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Garrett’s long-term agreement with Cleveland came together just weeks later. On the field, he hasn’t taken his foot off the gas since then. On the contrary, with 22 sacks through 16 games, Garrett is one away from setting the single-season all-time record (albeit in one more game than Michael Strahan and two more than T.J. Watt). He’s also a strong bet to win Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second time.
Despite Garrett’s brilliance, the Browns continue to look unlikely to contend in the near term. The 30-year-old made it clear on Friday that he is not interested in participating in a rebuild (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com).
“I quote Maxx (Crosby),” Garrett said. “I’m committed to winning and as long as the team and the organization are doing so — they’re committed to that same thing — then I’m all on board. But if we’re thinking anything other than winning — tanking or rebuilding — it’s not me.”
As a star defensive lineman on a bottom-feeding team, the Raiders’ Crosby is in a similar position to Garrett. Crosby has made it clear that winning is the main goal, but he nonetheless joined Garrett in signing an extension last offseason. It remains to be seen whether either will request a trade this winter.
The Browns have a more pressing matter to deal with in deciding head coach Kevin Stefanski‘s future in the coming days. Garrett and the Browns have gone to the playoffs twice under Stefanski, who won Coach of the Year in both instances, but his job status is up in the air. Cleveland could be searching for a new coach as early as next week.
Garrett said there have been “more downs than ups” in six years under Stefanski. Evidenced by Stefanski’s 44-56 record, Garrett isn’t wrong.
That’s not to suggest Garrett is calling for Stefanski’s ouster, though, as he added: “I don’t know what the future holds, whether it’s with him or anything else. I’m going to look forward to playing under whoever it is. Be happy to be here and being a Brown regardless.”
To keep Garrett content, the Browns will likely need to commit to major improvements on offense. The unit, which sits 31st in the NFL in scoring, has offset a second-ranked defense. Reuniting with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in free agency last offseason appeased Garrett, according to Cabot. However, after a 1-4 start to the year, the Browns dealt Flacco to the Bengals.
Discussing the Flacco trade, Garrett said: “If we’re going to trade Joe away, then we’ve got to find a way to win games regardless of who’s back there and haven’t done it enough. I see a couple rookies that continue to grow, but it was interesting. But we’re here now.”
The Browns haven’t found a clear solution at quarterback in third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, Flacco’s initial successor, or fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders. While Sanders has performed better than Gabriel since taking over in Week 12, he’s hardly a lock to start in 2026. Neither is veteran Deshaun Watson, who will miss the entire 2025 season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. Watson’s four-year run in Cleveland has been a disaster, but with an onerous contract, he’ll likely remain in the organization for another season.
Gabriel, Sanders and Watson will enter the offseason as candidates to start in 2026, though the Browns could add to the group in free agency and/or the draft. With two first-round picks, including a potential top five selection, they may find a potential franchise signal-caller in April. How the Browns handle the position will be of great interest to Garrett, who “will undoubtedly want to know what the future” holds at QB, Cabot writes.
Despite the Browns’ ongoing struggles, general manager Andrew Berry is likely to remain in his post in 2026. If Berry doesn’t convince Garrett he has the answers, the seven-time Pro Bowler could emerge as a key figure in the rumor mill for the second straight offseason.
‘No Chance’ Browns Trade Myles Garrett Before Deadline
It’s not often that someone regrets taking $160MM. But Myles Garrett‘s visible frustration during the Browns 32-13 loss to the Patriots suggested he may have second thoughts about signing an extension in Cleveland earlier this year.
Garrett notched 5.5 sacks in New England on Sunday, setting a Browns single-game record (that he first set in 2021 with 4.5 sacks). But immediately after his final sack, Garrett slammed his helmet on the sidelines (via FOX Sports). After the game, he strode into his press conference playing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “A Simple Man” on his phone, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, and continued to express his disappointment with the Browns’ season.
“I want to win,” said Garrett (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson). He added that his sideline frustration stemmed from a desire to stay in the game. Cleveland had pulled their starters, but New England’s were still in the game.
When asked about the team’s current situation more generally, Garrett responded, “It doesn’t get any easier each week you ask it.”
The Browns’ struggles have reignited trade talk surrounding the four-time All-Pro, but there is no way that Garrett is moved before this year’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Garrett’s contract is often cited as a primary reason that he won’t be traded, but Graziano notes that the finances are still workable for Cleveland. His deal includes fully guaranteed option bonuses in 2026, 2027, and 2028 (via OverTheCap) that an acquiring team would have to pay. The Browns would only have to absorb a $41MM dead cap hit in 2026, hardly a desirable outcome but still just over half of what the Broncos ate when they parted ways with Russell Wilson. Graziano also mentioned the Browns’ offseason pursuit of public funding for a new stadium, which could have been complicated by trading away the face of the franchise. The funding was signed into law via the state of Ohio’s budget in July, so that potential obstacle to moving Garrett is now gone.
In other words, the Browns could trade Garrett if they want to, but it seems the desire is just not there. Their strategy may be to wait until the end of the season when they can acquire a veteran quarterback or, more likely, target a top prospect in the 2026 draft. That could convince Garrett to stick around, but he may not be willing to trust the franchise after putting his faith in them to build a competitive team this season. It seems possible, if not likely, that he renews his trade request in the offseason in an attempt to play for a championship contender next year.
Trading Garrett could also give the Browns even more draft capital to aggressively pursue a rookie quarterback next spring. They already have two first-round picks after trading down from No. 2 with the Jaguars (who moved up for Travis Hunter), and another could ensure that they can trade for virtually any pick, if it’s available.
Browns Expected To Make One Or Two More Deals Before Deadline; Fire Sale Unlikely
The Browns have swung two trades in October, dealing quarterback Joe Flacco to the Bengals as part of a Day 3 pick swap in 2026 and trading contract-year cornerback Greg Newsome II to the Jaguars for fellow cornerback Tyson Campbell (that deal also included a 2026 Day 3 pick swap). Zac Jackson of The Athletic (subscription required) unsurprisingly believes Cleveland, which is currently sitting at 2-5, will continue to operate as a seller as we approach the November 4 trade deadline.
Jackson does not expect a full fire sale, however. Instead, he anticipates one or two more trades as the Browns attempt to extract some value for their older players while looking ahead to 2026 and beyond. As Jackson observes in a separate subscribers-only piece, Cleveland already has 10 picks in next year’s draft, which is probably too many to be useful, even for a rebuilding club. That is presumably one of the reasons why he does not expect a flurry of trade activity.
As for who could be on the move, Jackson identifies running back Jerome Ford, whose name has already cropped up in trade rumors, as a clear trade candidate. Tight end David Njoku has also been rumored as a player who could be dealt, and Jackson confirms the longtime Brown may be in the final stretch of his Cleveland tenure (though he also leaves open the possibility that player and team could work out another contract extension).
Both Njoku and Ford have seen rookies (Harold Fannin and Quinshon Judkins, respectively) eat into their playing time, and as both veterans are on expiring deals, their status as potential trade bait is apparent. Offensive linemen Wyatt Teller, Ethan Pocic, Joel Bitonio, and Jack Conklin are also impending free agents whom Jackson names as potential targets for OL-needy clubs. Jackson views a Bitonio trade as improbable since the front office would need to negotiate with an interested team as well as the 12th-year Brown – who is considered likely to retire at season’s end – and his family.
Other contract-year veterans with varying degrees of trade-worthiness include DE Alex Wright – whom Jackson views as a player who will generate some interest given his position and the fact that he profiles as an inexpensive rental – DT Shelby Harris, LB Jerome Baker, S Rayshawn Jenkins, and P Corey Bojorquez. And, while Jackson acknowledges a trade of WR Jerry Jeudy or DE Myles Garrett is unlikely, he does include them on his list of trade candidates.
Despite an offseason trade request and a report that he was not open to a new deal with the Browns, Garrett and Cleveland came together on a record-setting contract in early March. Cleveland did not really consider moving Garrett even after his trade demand, and given that the ink is barely dry on his mega-deal, the dead money cost of a trade within the next couple of weeks could be prohibitive. That said, if a team were to pony up three first-round picks, that could change Cleveland’s calculus.
After a Pro Bowl performance in 2024, in which the former first-round pick of the Broncos finally lived up to his considerable potential, Jeudy has been a disappointment in 2025, largely as a result of his struggles with dropped passes and penalties. Cleveland would be selling low on the Alabama product, whom they signed to a three-year, $52.5MM deal ($41MM guaranteed) last March. Jackson therefore thinks a trade probably will not come together, but if a team thinking Jeudy just needs another change of scenery came calling, Jackson suggests GM Andrew Berry would listen.
Given Cleveland’s glut of 2026 draft picks, Jackson says Berry could target players under club control at least through next year — rather than more draft capital — as he navigates the trade season. That is what happened when he traded Newsome for Campbell, who is signed through 2028.
As Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal writes, Campbell was shocked by the deal, perhaps because he signed a lucrative extension with the Jaguars in July 2024. Clearly, the playoff-hopeful Jags believed Newsome offered an immediate upgrade to aid in their postseason push, while Cleveland will hope to provide Campbell something of a longer runway to find the form that earned him a big-money deal just last year.
Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Defense
The 2025 offseason has been defined in no small part by extensions amongst the league’s top edge rushers. A number of high-profile situations on that front remain unresolved at this point, which will make for interesting storylines over the coming weeks. Still, pass rushers once again account for some of the top cap charges around the NFL.
Just like on offense, here is a breakdown of the top 25 defensive cap hits in 2025:
- Maxx Crosby, DE (Raiders): $38.15MM
- T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $30.42MM
- DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $26.6MM
- Daron Payne, DT (Commanders): $26.17MM
- Rashan Gary, OLB (Packers): $25.77MM
- Montez Sweat, DE (Bears): $25.09MM
- Denzel Ward, CB (Browns): $24.56MM
- Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys): $24.01MM
- Derwin James, S (Chargers): $23.86MM
- Roquan Smith, LB (Ravens): $23.72MM
- Dexter Lawrence, DT (Giants): $23.64MM
- Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $23.6MM
- Jeffery Simmons, DT (Titans): $22.7MM
- L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): $22.58MM
- Vita Vea, DT (Buccaneers): $22.47MM
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Dolphins): $22.36MM
- Jonathan Greenard, DE (Vikings): $22.3MM
- Jessie Bates, S (Falcons): $22.25MM
- Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $21.92MM)
- Quinnen Williams, DT (Jets): $21.59MM
- Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears): $21MM
- Nick Bosa, DE (49ers): $20.43MM
- Kenny Clark, DT (Packers): $20.37MM
- Danielle Hunter, DE (Texans): $20.2MM
- Zach Allen, DE (Broncos): $19.8MM
Crosby briefly held the title of the league’s highest-paid pass rusher when his latest Raiders extension was signed. That $35.5MM-per-year pact was quickly overtaken in value, but it put to rest speculation about a potential trade. Now fully healthy, Crosby’s level of play in 2025 will be critical in determining Vegas’ success.
Garrett currently leads the way in terms of AAV for edge rushers (and, in turn, all defensive players). He landed $40MM in annual compensation from the Browns in a deal which ended his long-running trade request. The four-time All-Pro sought a change of scenery to a Super Bowl contender but then altered his stance following communication with Cleveland’s front office. Garrett is now on the books through 2030.
Other notable pass rushers face an uncertain future beyond the coming campaign, by contrast. That includes Watt, who is not close to reaching an agreement on a third Steelers contract. The former Defensive Player of the Year is reported to be eyeing a pact which will again move him to the top of the pecking order for pass rushers. He thus finds himself in a similar situation to fellow 30-year-old All-Pro Trey Hendrickson with the Bengals.
While Hendrickson is believed to be aiming for a new deal similar in average annual value to those like Bosa and Hunter’s, Parsons could leapfrog Watt atop the pecking order by the time the season begins. Little (if any) progress has been made since Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reached a handshake agreement on the framework of a deal. Time remains for a pact to be finalized before training camp; failing that, the possibility of a hold-in will increase.
Recent years have seen a major spike in the valuation of interior defensive linemen capable of producing against the pass. It comes as no surprise, then, to see a multitude of D-tackles on the list. Buckner and Chris Jones are among the veterans with the longest track record of success in terms of sacks and pressures (along with disruptive play against the run, of course). Payne, Lawrence, Simmons and Williams were among the players who helped moved the position’s market upward with similar second contracts during the 2023 offseason.
Gary, Sweat and Greenard will again be counted on to lead the way in terms of pass rush production for their respective NFC North teams. Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota each have upside elsewhere on the depth chart, but expectations will remain high for those three based on their lucrative deals. The highly competitive division will no doubt come down to head-to-head games, and they will be influenced in large part by the performances of each defense.
The cornerback market reached $30MM per year this offseason thanks to Derek Stingley Jr.‘s Texans extension. Given the term remaining on his rookie pact, though, his cap charge for this season checks in at a much lower rate than that of teammates like Hunter or other top CBs. Ward and Jaylon Jones are on the books through 2027, and the same is true of Sneed. The high-priced Tennessee trade acquisition did not enjoy a healthy debut season with his new team in 2024, but he appears to be set for full participation in training camp. 
Safety and linebacker are among the positions which have witnessed slower growth than others recently. Still, a few top performers are attached to deals landing them on this list. Smith has been a first-team All-Pro performer during his tenure with the Ravens; he will be expected to remain one in 2025 and beyond. James and Bates will likewise be counted on as key playmakers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Fitzpatrick will, interestingly, return to his original team after being part of the blockbuster Steelers-Dolphins trade from earlier this week.
Vea helped the Buccaneers rank fourth against the run last season while Clark and the Packers finished seventh in that regard. Both veterans have multiple years remaining on their deals, although in both cases the final season does not include guaranteed money. Vea and/or Clark could thus find themselves discussing an extension next offseason.
Allen is among the players listed who could have a new deal in hand before Week 1. The former Cardinal is coming off a career-best 8.5 sacks from the 2024 season. To no surprise, then, Allen is high on Denver’s list of extension priorities, and it will be interesting to see if the pending 2026 free agent works out a new pact prior to the start of the campaign.
Browns Discussed Re-Signing Nick Chubb Before Draft
Once the 2025 draft had taken place, it was essentially guaranteed Nick Chubb would find himself on a new team this season. That is now officially the case, with his one-year Texans pact in place. 
Chubb will collect a base value of $2.5MM, and incentives will allow him to double that figure. It comes as no surprise the four-time Pro Bowler was only able to land a pact of that nature given the uncertainty surrounding his health status. Chubb managed to briefly return from his massive knee injury in 2024, but his showing when on the field fell well short of his previous production.
That was a key factor in the expectation Cleveland would move on this offseason. Shortly after the draft, Browns general manager Andrew Berry all-but confirmed Chubb would not be back for an eighth season with the team. Few eyebrows were raised once it became clear the 29-year-old was headed to Houston as a result, but Cleveland did engage in talks about a new deal in this case.
The Browns discussed a re-signing with Chubb and his camp prior to the draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Team and player were unable to reach agreement, though, and in the wake of that development Cleveland’s attention turned to the highly-regarded pool of RBs in this year’s class. The team wound up adding Quinshon Judkins in the second round and then Dylan Sampson in the fourth. Both of them are now in place for the next four years as a result.
The Browns also have Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as returnees from last year. Ford in particular should have a notable role in 2025, but a new Chubb agreement would have allowed him to continue operating as a key member of the backfield. Retaining the latter is something Myles Garrett lobbied for during his offseason talks with Berry, as Garrett recently noted (via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi). Conversations related to the direction of the franchise were part of Garrett’s offseason, one in which his trade request was rescinded in the wake of a $40MM-per-year extension being worked out.
No agreement came to bear in Chubb’s case, however, leaving him to remain on the open market deep into free agency. The four-time 1,000-yard rusher will look to regain his previous form in Houston while the Browns attempt to find an effective short- and long-term replacement for him in the backfield.
Patriots Pursued Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett; Could Select Edge Rusher At No. 4
The Patriots have been active reworking their pass-rush depth this offseason, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the front office pursued two of the biggest names on the market. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com, the Patriots “had desires” to trade for Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett.
New England’s pursuit of the two extension/trade candidates surely preceded their free agent spending spree. The Raiders and Browns were rightfully correct in waiting out the trade winds, as both teams eventually inked their star pass rushers to lucrative extensions. That forced the Patriots to pivot.
Considering the Patriots’ free agency commitments, we can only assume the Eliot Wolf-led front office would have been just as willing to hand out an extension to either player. The Patriots landed interior disruptor Milton Williams on a four-year, $104MM, and they added edge rusher Harold Landry III on a three-year, $43.5MM pact. With other additions like Robert Spillane and K’Lavon Chaisson, plus holdovers like Christian Barmore and Keion White, there’s hope Mike Vrabel will guide an improved front-seven in 2025.
Despite the team’s many defensive acquisitions, the Patriots may not be done adding. There’s been an assumption that the team would select an offensive tackle with the fourth-overall pick. However, Pauline says the team’s one alternative option could be an edge rusher, and that’s with the assumption that Abdul Carter will already be off the board.
Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, and Mike Green are regarded as consensus top-20 picks, but all three edge-rush prospects would be considered a reach at No. 4. Considering the uncertainty behind the top-three picks, Jalon Walker could be an option for New England, although the Georgia product seems better positioned to slide in as an inside LB.
Our own Ely Allen projects the Patriots to select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick, a popular sentiment across the industry. However, the Patriots could pull off the first wrinkle of the draft if they add to an already-remade defense.
AFC Contract Details: Garrett, Stingley, Broncos, Bills, Jaguars, Titans, Chargers
Beginning with two record-setting deals, here are the latest contract details from the AFC:
- Myles Garrett, DE (Browns). Four years, $160MM. Garrett’s $88.8MM full guarantee consists of a $21.54MM signing bonus, fully guaranteed base salaries in 2025 and ’26 and a fully guaranteed 2026 option bonus. Almost all of Garrett’s 2027 compensation is guaranteed as well, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noting a $39.34MM option bonus shifts to a full guarantee no later than Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Garrett’s $21.41MM 2028 option bonus is guaranteed for injury and will shift to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2027 league year. Only $800K of Garrett’s $38MM 2029 base salary will be guaranteed a year out, however; Garrett’s $38MM 2030 base is nonguaranteed. The option bonuses and four void years will help keep Garrett’s cap numbers under $30MM until 2028.
- Derek Stingley Jr., CB (Texans). Three years, $90MM. Of Stingley’s eye-popping $89MM guarantee, only $48MM is locked in at signing, Florio adds. Early protections, as in the Garrett contract, are included here as well. After fully guaranteed base salaries in 2025 and ’26, Stingley will see his $20MM 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2026. That same structure is in place for 2027, with a $21MM salary moving from guaranteed for injury to fully guaranteed by March 2027. Stingley’s 2029 base is nonguaranteed.
- D.J. Jones, DT (Broncos). Three years, $39MM. Jones fetched an impressive second Broncos contract. Before the team reunited him with 49ers teammates Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga, Jones scored a $26MM full guarantee, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Two void years are in this Denver deal.
- Dre Greenlaw, LB (Broncos): Three years, $31.5MM. This base value checks in a touch south of the initial reports as well. Of that sum, $11.5MM is fully guaranteed, per Spotrac. Another $2MM locks in on Day 5 of the 2026 league year, via OverTheCap, but Greenlaw’s injury trouble looks to have affected him on the market after all. A $3MM incentive package is present, and Denver can move on from the deal for less than $5MM in 2026 dead money.
- Josh Palmer, WR (Bills). Three years, $29MM. This is south of the $36MM number initially reported. TD and yardage incentives cover $6MM, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. The ex-Charger will see $15MM fully guaranteed. Palmer’s 2025 salary is locked in, and $4.84MM of his $9.66MM 2026 base salary is as well. Another $3MM will convert from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’26 league year, per OverTheCap.
- Cody Barton, LB (Titans). Three years, $21MM. The nomadic defender will see $13.3MM fully guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Both Barton’s 2025 and ’26 salaries are guaranteed, with Wilson adding $1.5MM of his 2027 base is as well.
- Robert Hainsey, C (Jaguars). Three years, $21MM. Hainsey will receive $10MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Of Hainsey’s $6.25MM 2026 base salary, $3MM is guaranteed at signing. The rest locks in if Hainsey is still a Jaguar by Day 5 of the 2026 league year.
- Eric Murray, S (Jaguars). Three years, $19.5MM. This massive Murray raise from his Texans deals brings $10MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Murray will see $3.5MM of his 2026 base salary locked in, while Wilson adds the rest becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the ’26 league year.
- Marquise Brown, WR (Chiefs). One year, $6.85MM. This is down from the “up to” $11MM report, with Wilson indicating $6.5MM is guaranteed. After a season-marring injury, Brown takes a slight pay cut (after a $7MM 2024 deal).
- Benjamin St-Juste, CB (Chargers). One year, $2.5MM. The Chargers are guaranteeing St-Juste $1MM, Wilson adds. This profiles as a flier on a four-year Washington regular, whose $1.5MM base salary is nonguaranteed.
Myles Garrett Insists Extension Wasn’t About Money
We recently saw the long-awaited conclusion to the Myles Garrett-Browns feud which ended with Garrett agreeing to play with a four-year, $160MM extension. The deal ended up making Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, but if you ask him, he’ll still claim that his concern was not money but being on a competitive team, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. 
Despite having two years remaining on a five-year, $125MM contract, Garrett and Cleveland became so entrenched in an extension negotiation that Garrett requested a trade. At the time, Garrett seemed to indicate that his desire to leave Cleveland had nothing to do with the money the team didn’t seem to be willing to pay him and everything to do with playing for a team that had the ability to contend for a Super Bowl.
That stance seemed to hold true as player and team had seemed to cut off all possibilities of reconciliation. At one point owner Jimmy Haslam even declined to meet with his start player. Yet, days later, the new deal came through and everything was peaches.
So, what changed? Did the Browns make a move to become contenders or did the money become too much to ignore? While fans and analysts pointed early and often to the latter options, Garrett insists that, despite many frustrations throughout the ordeal, his confidence in the team’s future did, ultimately, change.
Garrett claims that further conversations and “constant communication” with team management change his mind about being traded, that “talking about the plans and future of this team” convinced him that they could “turn this around and turn Cleveland into a winner.” While Garret admits that his frustrations led to those early, frustrated comments, they were true and allowed him and the team to come together with meaningful conversations about how to improve their outlook.
It’s hard to tell if Garrett is just backtracking so as not to seem like he went back on his word. At one point, Garrett was doubling down on his desire to be traded while general manager Andrew Berry was adamant that he had no intention of trading him. One’s will may have just been stronger than the other in this situation.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter all that much. Whether these were just lengths Garrett went to in order to have meaningful input on what the team needed to do to improve or whether the team just showered Garrett in enough money to drown out his concerns, he’s back and under contract for years to come. We’ll see if Garrett’s efforts are enough to change the trajectory of the franchise moving forward.
Browns Extend DE Myles Garrett
Despite seemingly being at an impasse, the Browns and defensive star Myles Garrett have reportedly found their way back together. After trade demands rang loud not long ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Garrett will now remain in Cleveland on an extension that will pay him $40MM per year with $123.5MM in guaranteed money. The four-year extension will keep the 29-year-old in Cleveland through the 2030 season and makes Garret the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the six years left on the contract have a total value of $204.8MM, including $100MM paid out in the first three years, $88.8MM fully guaranteed, and $122.8MM in total guarantees.
The biggest addition to the contract drawing attention from the league media: a no-trade clause. Garrett had two years remaining on his previous deal, but a lack of guaranteed money in those years was a major sticking point for the former Defensive Player of the Year.
A little over a month ago, Garrett sent NFL rumors flying in every direction by requesting a trade. Just over a week ago, Garrett seemingly closed the door on a return to Cleveland, with reports coming out that he was “not open” to an extension with the Browns. Even two days ago, we got reports that team owner Jimmy Haslam declined to even meet with Garrett. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Garrett had made it clear that it wasn’t about the money, that he was adamant about leaving Cleveland because of a lack of belief in the Browns’ direction. Clearly, offering Garrett $40MM per year was the correct direction.
ESPN’s John Keim adds that, when Garrett first made his trade demands, the rest of the league felt it was just about working leverage for the extension. Cleveland never seemed to have any desire to trade their star defensive end. Regardless, the offers came flying in from around the league, with many first-round picks being made available to the Browns. The Browns brass was reportedly “confident all along,” per Mike Jones of The Athletic, that they would work out an extension rather than trade Garrett. They were right.
Garrett’s big payday comes only three days after the Raiders made defensive end Maxx Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL with an average annual value of $35.5MM. Garrett’s mark blows that out of the water, but even that might not last long. Elite pass rusher paydays continue to be on the way with the likes of Trey Hendrickson, T.J. Watt, and Aidan Hutchinson all in or approaching a period in which extensions will be considered.
Specifically on the hotseat are the Cowboys and Bengals, both of whom have made recent claims that they are prepared to make a star player the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Cincinnati would be doing so for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase at a position which set a high, new bar when Justin Jefferson set the mark with $35MM per year last year.
Dallas has now backed themselves into a corner for the third time in a row on paying a big player. Last year, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys waited too long to extend both quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. By the time they finally worked out terms, several other players at those positions had continually pushed up the market price, forcing Dallas to settle for even more in their deals with Prescott and Lamb. Similarly, the team’s insistence on waiting until the last second to extend a star player has seen the price they would need to pay to hold on to Micah Parsons rise significantly.
As for Garrett, the price is well-deserved. With four first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, and six Pro Bowl selections, Garrett is widely recognized as a top pass rusher in the game. In the last four seasons, he’s finished as the top pass rusher, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), three times, finishing second this year. He has the most sacks in the league over the last three years (44.0) and the second-most in the league since he was drafted in 2017 (102.5) behind only Watt (108.0). His 102.5 sacks are also a franchise high for the Browns.
Garrett will continue to be an anchor on the Browns defense. Rumors that he wanted to join a contender will fall by the wayside for now as he returns to a defense that finished 28th in points allowed and 13th in sacks. The offense may be headed in another direction, though, as the team seems ready to move on from their last huge contract, given to quarterback Deshaun Watson, perhaps in pursuit of a rookie option. Regardless, Garrett will continue to do his job and dominate.
Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam Declines Meeting With Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett‘s trade request came about in the wake of discussions over the Browns’ future. A renewed attempt to speak about the situation has led to the All-Pro meeting a roadblock. 
Garrett recently requested to meet in person with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who declined to do so, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Haslam instead deferred to general manager Andrew Berry, with whom Garrett has spoken on several occasions. To no surprise, Pelissero’s report confirms both parties remain firm in their respective stances.
Garrett remains intent on engineering a change of scenery, as he is not interested in signing a Browns extension (something the team is prepared to authorize). Cleveland’s perspective, meanwhile, has not changed in the time since Garrett went public with his desire to be moved. Haslam, Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski have remained consistent in their bid to present a united front in not giving thought to a trade. That is clearly still the case given Haslam’s decision, although Pelissero notes Garrett is – at this point, at least – willing to miss games if it helps bring about a swap.
The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year played through a number of ailments this past season, appearing in all 17 games and recording 14 sacks. Garrett has earned a first-team All-Pro nod in four of the past five seasons, securing second-team honors in 2022. His decorated career has included a total of only three playoff games across two different years, however, and a path to immediate contention does not appear to be in place. Questions at the quarterback position in particular linger for the Browns.
As expected, the team has worked out another restructure of Deshaun Watson‘s contract. The controversial trade which brought him to Cleveland has not panned out, and the fully guaranteed nature of his pact has created financial issues for the Browns. A low-cost veteran addition could be in store soon as a result, and the No. 2 pick in April’s draft could bring about a new franchise signal-caller. In spite of the opportunities at the position, Garrett is eyeing a fresh start as prepares for his age-30 season.
Teams are reportedly prepared to offer packages including at least one first-round pick, and the Lions have been interested dating back to the 2024 trade deadline. In the event the Browns do begin contemplating a deal, the Eagles will be a team to watch closely. Cleveland did not speak with Garrett or his camp during the Combine, so it remains to be seen when any movement in this situation will take place. Given this latest development, both parties could continue waiting for a lengthy period as the EDGE market takes shape around them.