Just one month ago, the Cleveland Browns were rocked by the sudden and somewhat unexpected trade request by six-time All Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. For the entire month, the two sides seemingly came no closer to finding common ground, with Garrett repeatedly stating he was angling for a chance to play for a Super Bowl contender, not a new contract. The Browns countered, saying that they wouldn’t be fielding offers for one of the best players in franchise history.
In the end, it was Garrett who blinked first when on Sunday afternoon he signed on the dotted line, becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history thanks to a deal that, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, looks like this:
4 year extension/6 total years
$40,000,000 APY
No trade clause
$204,796,125 total value
$100,000,000 cash 1st three years
$1,000,000 annual workout bonuses
$88,800,000 execution guarantees
$122,796,125 total guarantees
So now that we have all of the details, it’s time to take a look at how both sides made out on this historic contract extension that will keep the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year in Northeast Ohio for the foreseeable future.
Grading the Deal for the Cleveland Browns
To understand the intricacies of the relationship between the Cleveland Browns and the people in the city of Cleveland, you actually have to live here, and since September, I have. If you’re on the outside, you kind of get it, but not completely. Remember, this is a city that is home to an ALCS finalist in the Cleveland Guardians, and the team with the best record in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers. But make no mistake… the Browns are still the team that dominates the conversation in the city.
Perhaps that’s just a function of football being king, but it’s accurate to say that the city of Cleveland loves the Cleveland Browns. It’s also accurate to say that the city of Cleveland doesn’t necessarily like the Cleveland Browns. We’re talking about a franchise that for years was best known for losing in absolutely heartbreaking fashion. Over time, they stopped being good enough for it to be heartbreaking. Now it’s just expected that failure will follow the Browns, and that actually may be worse.
Beloved Browns running back Nick Chubb suffers a gruesome knee injury while at the peak of his powers. He works his way back, but is now an unrestricted free agent and will likely be on his way out of Cleveland later this month.
The Browns need a quarterback, but have the 2nd overall pick in a draft without a ‘sure-thing’ QB prospect.
Deshaun Watson, who the Browns traded years worth of draft capital for despite multiple sexual assault allegations, is now recovering from a torn achilles and is still under contract through the 2026 season.
Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield — who the Browns moved on from to trade for Watson — is undergoing a career rejuvenation in Tampa Bay and was a fringe MVP candidate during the 2024 season.
So after all that, why wouldn’t Myles Garrett force his way out of Cleveland? Isn’t that exactly how you’d expect his time with the Browns to end?
Scoff at the amount of money if you’d like, and go ahead and say that even with Garrett remaining a Brown, Cleveland will remain at the bottom of the AFC North. This deal is a capital-W Win for the Cleveland Browns and their fans.
Grade: A
Grading the deal for Myles Garrett
Guys, it’s $122 million guaranteed. Let’s not overthink this.
Grade: A+
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