Browns sign Myles Garrett to Extension

The Cleveland Browns may not know when training camp will start, but they took a large step towards contention when the Browns signed Myles Garrett to a five-year extension that made Garrett the league's highest-paid defensive player.

Garrett's deal with the Browns will be worth $125 million with fifty of that total guaranteed on signing day with the possibility of more with certain levels of production.
Garrett finished last season with ten sacks in ten games before missing the season's final six games after the helmet bashing incident against Pittsburgh backup quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Garrett's previous season in Cleveland also ended with double-digit sack numbers with thirteen sacks with his rookie year ending with seven sacks in eleven games.
Garrett is the first Browns first-round draft pick to be re-signed after the expiration of the rookie contract since Joe Haden, who was the first-rounder by the Browns in 2010.

There isn't very much to complain about with this agreement.
The Browns avoided an ugly negotiation in a year to keep the one impact player on the defense happy and bought in along with showing their fans that they are willing to keep draft picks around when their performance warrants it.
The signing also will show players in the future that the Browns are willing to open the checkbook for them with Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward possibly (with performance) in line to sign their second contract next season.

Garrett's extension also gives the Browns a foundation to build around on the defensive line as the team has three linemen (Larry Ogunjobi, Andrew Billings, and Olivier Vernon) that are eligible for free agency following the 2020 season with decisions to make on those players.
The defensive line was a strength at times in 2010 for the Browns, but the team rarely had their four main players playing together at the same time as a unit due to various reasons.
With questions at linebacker and talented, but young players in the secondary, the Browns are going to rely on their pass rush to buy time for those players to develop and try to finally turn their program around.

All told, you have to love keeping a talent like Myles Garrett in town as young and dominant pass rushers that draw double-teams aren't easy to find.
You also have to like Garrett not wanting to run out of Cleveland as soon as he could or re-signing reluctantly because the Browns have matching rights such as the case with Alex Mack in 2014.
Garrett wants to be a Brown and that goes a long way with the fans, but also inside the locker room as well.

The Browns will have several players that could be considered as part of their foundation with decisions on extension coming up in the next two off-seasons.
Signing Myles Garrett gets that process rolling with a positive first step,

This took a little longer than normal and is a little lighter than I had hoped.
I wish I had a little more time to write of late.
You would think that the pandemic would give me more chances, instead, it has been less...