Browns close to signing Myles Garrett to massive 5-year extension

Myles Garrett is close to signing a huge five-year deal with the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns aren’t letting Myles Garrett go anywhere anytime soon.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “the Browns and star pass-rusher Myles Garrett are closing in on a 5-year extension worth $125M, sources say. Another massive deal, this time for $25M in new money per year. Their top priority of this offseason and they are in the final stages.”

Rapoport followed that up with “the Browns and Myles Garrett’s deal may not be final and official today. Still a few small hurdles. But it is expected to happen, as Cleveland is set to lock up a key piece.”

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1283111304190926849

Garrett was the No. 1 overall pick by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M University. The Aggies’ pass-rushing standout was a two-time First-Team All-SEC and a two-time First-Team All-American in three years playing for Kevin Sumlin in College Station. He was seen as the best prospect in his draft class, but has he lived up to lofty expectations in Cleveland thus far?

Has Myles Garrett earned the massive payday he’ll get from the Browns?

Despite not making the playoffs in three seasons with the Browns, Garrett made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2017. As a second-year player in 2018, Garrett made his first trip to the Pro Bowl and was Second-Team All-Pro, as he had 13.5 sacks in 16 games. He backed that up with another 10-sack season in 2019 that was cut short by a massive suspension 10 games into the campaign.

Even though star players like Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson went after him in the top-12 of the 2017 NFL Draft, Garrett is one of the preeminent pass-rushers in his draft class. Cleveland should have taken a quarterback, but this was still an excellent pick.

However, Garrett has missed 11 games in three seasons for the Browns. He only played in 11 contests as a rookie due to a high ankle sprain suffered in the preseason and a concussion that prevented him from playing the Browns’ game in London against the Minnesota Vikings. Football is a game of attrition, so we can’t ding him too bad for missing time as a rookie three years ago.

That’s understandable, but striking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with the crown of his helmet is a totally different animal. Cleveland went 6-10 last season after going 7-8-1 the year prior. Losing Garrett for nearly a third of the season due to his own recklessness is a major concern. Then again, he’s immensely talented and thus, he’s getting paid.

Look for Garrett to be swimming in newfound cash from the Browns within the next few days.