Myles Garrett became one of the main stories of the NFL offseason when he announced that he wanted to leave the Cleveland Browns to look for a team that was in the title hunt.
However, just over a month later, one of the best defensive ends in the NFL decided to stay at Lake Erie after the Browns granted him a record-breaking four-year contract extension, making Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback player in NFL history.
How much is Garrett’s new contract with the Browns for?
A person with knowledge of the details informed The Associated Press that Garrett’s contract includes 122.8 million dollars guaranteed, an average annual salary of 40 million dollars, and a total value of 204.8 million dollars.
Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Pro, had requested a trade last month, but the Browns were firm in refusing that request to keep the 29-year-old star in Cleveland.
Garrett’s contract sets the standard for other non-quarterback players, including Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals wide receiver) and Micah Parsons (Cowboys defensive end). The Cincinnati team had already declared plans to make Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback player in the league.
Garrett, a first-round selection in 2017, had 14 sacks and 22 tackles for loss last season. He has accumulated 102.5 sacks in his eight seasons with the Browns. But he has only played in three playoff games with Cleveland.
Who will be the next QB in Cleveland?
The big problem for Myles Garrett’s wishes to see the Browns fighting for a title or at least dreaming of reaching the final of the American Conference, is that they have a big problem in the most important position in this sport: the quarterback position.
In 2022, Cleveland signed DeShaun Watson in what is considered the worst contract in NFL history, as the Browns offered him a $230 million deal to a mediocre quarterback who had been suspended for inappropriate conduct.
In October 2024, Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon, and in January, it ruptured again, so it is unlikely that he will play in the 2025 season.
The Browns will pick second in the upcoming Draft and they could choose between Cam Ward from the University of Miami or Shedeur Sanders from the University of Colorado.