We should all be so fortunate to have the opportunity to talk with Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry.
That is just one of several takeaways from the news on Sunday that the Browns and star defensive end Myles Garrett have agreed on a four-year contract extension that runs through the 2030 season, averages $40 million per year, has a no-trade clause, and includes $122.8 million in guaranteed dollars for the game’s best defensive player.
The contract extension ends weeks of back-and-forth between the two sides with Garrett doing a national media tour to get out of town, the Browns remaining adamant that they had no intention of letting Garrett leave, and owner Jimmy Haslam declining to meet with Garrett and instructing him to talk to Berry.
The deal also makes Garrett, at least for now, the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, surpassing the deal that defensive end Maxx Crosby signed with the Las Vegas Raiders just four days ago. Crosby’s three-year extension is worth $106.5 million and includes $91.5 million in guaranteed money, so he should be fine.
Looking at defensive ends, the rankings for total guaranteed money now look like this, according to ESPN:
In terms of the three-year average pay, Garrett is comfortably in the No. 1 position, according to ESPN:
Garrett at $40 million
Crosby at $35.5 million
Bosa at $34.7 million
Hines-Allen at $31 million
T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers) at $30.5 million
Garrett, Bosa, and Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs ($101 million) are currently the only defensive players who exceed the $100 million mark in guaranteed money.
On the offensive side of the ball, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson ($110 million) is the only non-quarterback with more than $100 million in guaranteed money.