Myles Garrett had a change of heart and accepted a $160 million contract extension that makes him the NFL's highest-paid non-QB by plenty.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Myles Garrett had a change of heart, again, and agreed to a four-year contract extension Sunday morning that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The reported numbers are for $160 million over four years with $123 million in guarantees.
Nicole Lynn, president of Klutch Sports Group, told Cleveland.com that Garrett wanted to get the deal done before free agency “so I can start recruiting free agents, so I can help the team.”
In order for that to happen, the existing two years in Garrett’s former contract must be rewritten to lower Garrett’s scheduled salary cap number and create more cap room for GM Andrew Berry to pursue free agents.
In other words, the extension would result effectively in a new, six-year deal that ties Garrett to the Browns through 2030. He will be 35 then.
The Browns were about $12 million below the league salary cap figure of $279.2 million. Saving about $8 million to allocate to their rookie draft choices, that figure is reduced to $4 million. So a reduction of Garrett’s 2025 cap number of $19.7 million must be part of this new deal.
In an ironic twist, the deal includes a no-trade clause for the player that insisted he wanted to be traded not for money but for the opportunity to chase a championship ring with a contending team.
The fact is, the Browns were prepared to give Garrett a record-breaking new deal before he went public with his request to be traded at the Super Bowl.
The no-trade clause now gives Garrett new leverage in a future destination if things sour again between him and the Browns.
The $40 million average per year figure is sure to agitate teams who are facing contract issues with their top players.
The Cincinnati Bengals already have given permission to 2024 sack leader Trey Hendrickson to find a new team willing to satisfy his contract demand. More importantly, the Bengals previously stated their intention to make receiver Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Garrett’s contract probably is higher than the Bengals want to pay Chase.
Also, the Dallas Cowboys are in the stages of negotiating a new deal with pass rusher Micah Parsons. Jerry Jones can’t be happy with Garrett’s $40 million-a-year deal.
Last week, the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a contract extension that made defensive end Maxx Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback at $35.5 million per year. Garrett’s extension blew that out of the water.
It will be interesting to hear Garrett’s thought process in having a change of heart after he went public with his trade request at the Super Bowl. On Friday, the impasse seemed at its worst when news was disclosed of Garrett being rejected for a meeting with owner Jimmy Haslam.
The Browns included no quotes from the Browns or Garrett in their press release confirming the new deal on Sunday.