As the weeks went on, the chasm between the Cleveland Browns and their best player appeared to get deeper.
Both sides were dug in: Defensive end Myles Garrett wanted a trade to a contender, and Cleveland’s upper management insisted it was not trading its star pass rusher.
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However, on Sunday, a little more than a month after Garrett’s shocking trade request in early February, the two sides found common ground, agreeing to a record-breaking extension that averages $40 million per year and includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The deal once again makes Garrett, 29, the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. And it rids Cleveland of a very public dispute with a franchise great that threatened to cloud its plans for free agency, which opens Wednesday.
In inking Garrett to an extension, the Browns got the first of many victories they will need this offseason to rebound from a disastrous 2024 and restore themselves to playoff contention.
In a letter publicly announcing his trade request, Garrett had reiterated his desire to compete for championships as he enters the later stages of his career. And the Browns, coming off a 3-14 season, are far from competing with the NFL’s elite. But Cleveland can at least approach the upcoming free agency window knowing its cornerstone defensive player has been satisfied and will be in the fold for 2025 and beyond.
Cleveland now turns its attention to the quarterback market, where the team is expected to sign a veteran free agent. The market has already moved in recent days, with Geno Smith being traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Browns have been perusing their options. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that players such as Daniel Jones, Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins, if the latter is released, are expected to be on the Browns’ radar.
And despite the $92 million in cash still owed to quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025 season after re-tearing his right Achilles tendon, general manager Andrew Berry told reporters at the NFL scouting combine that the Browns’ cash and cap situation would not prohibit the team from making a big move if the opportunity presents itself.
Over the years, the Browns have not been afraid to be big spenders — twice making Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. They’ve also turned cornerback Denzel Ward into the highest-paid cornerback in the league and, yes, signed the infamous Watson contract that totaled a fully guaranteed $230 million, which is still an NFL record.
Before Sunday’s deal, Garrett was still under contract for the next two seasons, and a trade, at least before June 1, seemed unlikely given the $36 million in dead cap charges that would have been accelerated. Now, Cleveland doesn’t need to worry about that and can focus on constructing a roster capable of going to the playoffs and advancing.
