Cleveland Browns should extend Myles Garrett this summer

According to ESPN’s Jermey Fowler, the Cleveland Browns are looking to extend Myles Garrett to a new contract

The Cleveland Browns have made it very clear.

They’re looking to extend their Pro Bowl defensive end.

Myles Garrett, the 2017 No.1 overall draft pick, still has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal and could remain in Cleveland through the 2021 season. He is set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2022.

But new general manager Andrew Berry wants to avoid Garrett’s unrestricted free agency and get ahead of the pricey pass rush market two years early, according to ESPN’s Jermey Fowler.

Getting an extension done for Garrett this summer would likely give the Browns a team-friendly discount on the recently reinstated 24 year-old. By getting a deal done this summer, Berry could adjust his focus to evaluating and resigning other key pieces such as quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward.

Recently, in these situations, we have seen star-studded NFL talent have to play the franchise tag or holdout game at the very end of their contract in order to squeeze the most money out of the organization. If the Browns get an extension done soon, it will prevent that massive holdout headache in a few years. Additionally, extending Garrett now will give the Browns a team-friendly discount assuming that his market will boom.

If Garrett, who has seemingly been in the gym daily since his suspension, has a record-breaking, Defensive Player of the Year type of season, his market will skyrocket. Berry and the front office would be handcuffed, forced to pay him a gigantic lump of cash, likely making him the highest paid defensive player ever.

That is, of course, unless he inks a new deal this summer.

Sacks don’t tell the entire story of a pass rusher, but in Garrett’s case, the numbers certainly help his cause for an early payday. In only 37 career games played, he has accumulated 30.5 sacks. On top of that, we’ve only seen one full year of Garrett due to an injury his rookie season and last year’s suspension.

His ceiling has yet to be reached.