Cleveland Browns would not be making mistake paying Myles Garrett

The Cleveland Browns are negotiating a contract extension with Myles Garrett, and it will not be a mistake signing Garrett to a record deal.

When the Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, it was the beginning of a new era in Cleveland. After completely tearing down the roster, the selection of Garrett began the process of building up a talented Browns roster.

Three seasons after his selection, Garrett was clearly the right choice to begin the process of building a playoff-caliber team. He has proven to be one of the best edge rushers in the NFL and he looks to have the potential of being a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Garrett has played 37 games in his three-year career, but has missed a total of 11 games due to injuries and a suspension. He has proven to be a dynamic player when he is on the field, compiling 104 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 65 quarterback hits.

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Since Garrett looks like the next top pass rusher in the NFL, the Browns are reportedly in negotiations to make Garrett the highest-paid edge rusher with a deal that could average $25 million a year, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Not only is Garrett physically dominant on the field, but he has always been viewed as a leader in the locker room and a player teammates would gravitate towards. At 24-years-old, paying Garrett as the top edge rusher in the NFL would make a lot of sense.

However, there is some belief that the Browns should hold off on an extension for Garrett because of perceived attitude problems on the field. Garrett had issues in 2019 with several roughing the passer penalties, mostly for hits on the quarterback that were considered controversial penalties.

Some of Garrett’s issues go beyond those penalties though. In the opening game of the 2019 season, Garrett punched Titans Delanie Walker after a play, causing the NFL to fine Garrett. And during Week 11 of the season, Garrett had his infamous altercation with the Steelers and quarterback Mason Rudolph, causing Garrett to be suspended the rest of the season.

Citing those two incidents, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report does not believe the Browns should go all-in on Garrett so soon.

"But if the Browns are wrong and extend Garrett only to see him run afoul of the league offices again, then his megadeal could be the sort of cap-killer that can wreck an NFL roster.It’s a sizable risk. A needless risk.And needless risks aren’t generally a good idea in the NFL."

Although Garrett did have some dust-ups in 2019 and the league will be watching him closely for the next few season, the Browns should not be too concerned about his on-field behavior before signing him to a new deal. Garrett knows he has made mistakes, and he is a smart enough person to know he has to be more under control.

He has also been a model citizen since his suspension and has been a part of a humanitarian program in Tanzania with former NFL defensive end Chris Long’s ‘Waterboys’ Foundation.

Garrett’s two incidents in 2019 were outliers for his career, as he has typically never shown that behavior. After dealing with the consequences of his actions, it would be hard to see Garrett losing control like that again.

The Browns should have trust in Garrett and not worry about him having similar issues in the future. Even though the league may be watching Garrett with a close eye, it should not make the Browns wait to sign Garrett to an extension.

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Before too long, Garrett will become one of the top players in the NFL, and the Browns should do whatever they need to do to ensure he will be a part of their future. Signing Garrett to a lucrative extension this offseason, despite his on-field behavior in 2019, will do just that.

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