Garrett, Browns near $125 million extension
The Cleveland Browns are closing in on a contract extension with star defensive end Myles Garrett, a person familiar with the negotiations said on Tuesday.
Garrett, the No. 1 pick in 2017 and one of the NFL’s top edge rushers, and the team could have the deal completed in the next day or so, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.
NFL Network reported the extension could be for five years and $125 million, which would make Garrett the league’s highest-paid defensive player.
The Browns have been discussing the extension with Garrett and his representatives for months.
The Browns have been eager to lock up Garrett to a long-term deal. The team views him as one of the franchise’s cornerstone players who has only begun to reach his potential.
The 24-year-old Garrett has recorded 301⁄2 sacks in 37 games for Cleveland.
He had 10 sacks in 10 games last season and was on his way to making another Pro Bowl when he was suspended by the league for the final six games after he pulled off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and struck him in the head with it.
The Browns felt the incident was out of character for Garrett, who said he reacted violently because Rudolph had used a racial slur.
Chiefs reward Jones: The Kansas City Chiefs and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones agreed to a four-year contract that could be worth up to $85 million, the latest in a lavish spending spree by the Super Bowl champions as they continue to lock up their core pieces as training camp approaches.
The deal for Jones, which comes on the heels of a record-setting 10-year extension for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, includes $60 million in guarantees.
The two sides had been working on an extension since last year. But they were never very close, even when Jones showed his displeasure by skipping the entirety of the offseason program – including the mandatory summer minicamp.
The 26-year-old second-round pick in the 2016 draft had nine sacks last year despite missing three games with injuries.
Cephus signs: The Detroit Lions signed receiver Quintez Cephus, a fifthround draft pick out of the University of Wisconsin.