Early this offseason, the relationship between Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns appeared to be in jeopardy. Garrett formally requested a trade from the team on January 3, citing his intentions to compete in a Super Bowl.
Besides the build-up to Super Bowl LIX, that marked the biggest story in the league at the time. Garrett then publicly pondered potential suitors despite the Browns' stance on not trading their defensive star.
Through the end of the month, that stance did not change. Cleveland affirmed that they would not trade him during the NFL Scouting Combine and on March 7, NFL media reported that team owner Jimmy Haslam declined a meeting with Garrett to discuss a trade.
Strangely, this ultimately led to Garrett getting a record contract extension on March 9. That marked a stark contrast to where both sides seemed to be just days before.
Garrett's new contract will pay him $40 million annually over the next four years and comes with $123.5 million in guaranteed money. The deal also makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
While the Browns lock down their star, there are still a number of concerns here.
First on the financial side, the Browns have committed even more of their cap that they are already wringing tight in contracts for Deshaun Watson and Denzel Ward. Garrett's contract makes their resources even tighter.
But perhaps even more concerning are the reports emerging in regard to Garrett's behavior around the team.
“It’s well known within the Browns that Garrett is frequently late to the facility. He has skipped mandatory team activities on multiple occasions,” Jason Lloyd of TheAthletic.com writes.
The timing of this report is certainly odd given Garrett's contract update. However, it has not impacted his play on the field. Garrett finished with 14 sacks last season, the same he mustered in a Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2023.
If this report indicates the truth about Garret's behavior in Cleveland and not more posturing to get himself out of town, then there should be some level of concern here.
Whether they compete for championships or not, Garrett will be a centerpiece of the Browns for the next half-decade. That type of behavior cannot stem from a presumed culture-setter in Cleveland.
At the same time, Garrett presented them with an exit ramp with an opportunity to collect future assets for the team and they refused. That decision ultimately falls on the Browns.
