Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett on radio row at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

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Myles Garrett Trade U-Turn Lands Him a $160 Million Deal With the Browns

Browns fans can rest easy - Myles Garrett is here to stay!

Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett on radio row at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Every year in the NFL there are usually a couple of high-profile deals that either go through or end up going the distance. So much so that several players hold out for contracts, missing training camps and part of the regular season. The way the league is growing with the salary cap rising every year, players are getting paid left, right, and center.

Having said that, defensive end Myles Garrett had made it quite clear that he wanted out of Cleveland this offseason with the intention of joining a Championship-caliber team in search of a ring. News coming out of Cleveland was conflicting over the past few weeks as Garrett had demanded a trade while the Browns were sure they would not entertain such actions. And, made sure they did by extending the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year just before the start of free agency.

Myles Garrett Contract Extension

The big news out of Cleveland revealed that the Browns have now extended the 29-year-old Garrett for 4 more years. Garrett has signed a 4-year, $160 million contract earning him a record-breaking $40 million per year for a non-quarterback. The contract includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money. The contract is also said to have a no-trade clause which basically means the 6-time Pro-Bowler will be a Browns’ player through 2023.

From trade to truce and beyond: the Browns and Myles Garrett reached agreement today on a record contract extension that averages $40 million per year and includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money and now makes him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history, sources tell ESPN.… pic.twitter.com/scNWJH2vFX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2025

Garrett’s big extension comes just days after the Las Vegas Raiders signed their defensive end superstar Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million contract which will pay him $35.5 million per year. Crosby had just become the highest-earning non-quarterback in the league, and Garrett’s new contract has just dwarfed that amount by nearly $5 million per year.

Also Read: Stephen A. Smith has just landed the contract of his life with ESPN!

Interestingly though, Garrett had truly made up his mind to leave Cleveland after giving it his all in 8 seasons with the team. While he earned several individual awards and honors, the lack of success as a team was the reason he cited for requesting a trade. However, that thought was short-lived as Garrett apparently had a change of heart.

Word from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Garrett’s agent Nicole Lynn said, “Myles had a change of heart and he’s excited to go from Cleveland to Canton and chase a championship in Ohio.”

What Does Garrett’s Extension Mean for Cleveland?

The Browns, who finished 3-14 last season, own the No. 2 pick in the draft. They are once again a rebuilding team and need help in several positions starting with the quarterback. There is a good chance Cleveland will be eyeing a quarterback in the draft with potentially Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders still available if the Titans choose to go in a different direction.

Building a potentially stronger team around a rookie quarterback is the best possible solution for the Browns currently. Garrett signed his deal early in the offseason even though he could have dragged it for many more weeks or months. The advantage of this is that Garrett has provided the Browns the required clarity to start rebuilding while maintaining him as the central figure on the team. Moreover, Garrett himself is eager to help recruit players in the offseason who may be able to help him bring a Championship to Cleveland.

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!