In the early days of the 2025 NFL free agency, the Cleveland Browns shook up the market by paying Myles Garrett, who had requested to leave the team. In the end, the defensive end got his way and signed an impressive deal.
The Browns extended Garrett with a four-year, $160 million contract, which included $123.5 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL at the time. A few weeks later, Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase surpassed him.
The Browns’ challenge to Myles Garrett
Garrett is currently the highest-paid defensive player in history, and rightfully so. That might not last long, though, given the contract the Dallas Cowboys are preparing for Micah Parsons. But for now, the Browns have set a clear challenge for Myles Garrett within the team.
“What we’ve asked of Myles is that, through his practice habits, his actions, etcetera, he becomes a true leader of the team,” Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told cleveland.com. “He has said he will, and we’re hopeful that he does.”
Garrett’s numbers since being selected as the first overall pick in the 2017 Draft have been spectacular. The Texas A&M product has 102.5 career sacks, a Defensive Player of the Year award, six Pro Bowl selections, and four All-Pro nods-a career that is undoubtedly Hall of Fame-bound.
The Browns never intended to trade Garrett
A few days before the start of free agency, reports surfaced that Myles Garrett had requested a trade. However, the team never considered that option, which is why they extended their defensive star, as the team owner confirmed.
“We had a lot of conversations about it, but there was never serious thought of trading Myles,” Haslam stated. “What we know we have in Myles is a future Hall of Famer… These situations are emotional. People say things, and you have to realize it’s not just the player. There’s an agent. There’s an agency working that process behind the scenes, and they’re really good at it. They’re very effective at it. And we’re just glad it worked out.”
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