Browns Rework Myles Garrett's Contract, Trade Speculations Soar

0:00It's April 22nd. This is NFL News today, powered by AI tracking teams, players, and standings. The Cleveland Browns just reworked Miles Garrett's massive contract back in late March, pushing option deadlines way out from mid-March each year, just seven days before the regular season kicks off. For 2026, that means shifting from March 25th to September 2nd, and it rolls the same for the next couple years. This tweak doesn't add cash, but reshapes payments into option bonuses spread over 36 weeks, like his base pay. They also slotted an $8 million roster bonuses for 2029 and 2030, dropping those base salaries from 38, million to 30 million each, with payments hitting by mid-April. Two extra dummy years got tacked on for 2034 and 2035, needing 20 million and 15 million option hits that further. For 2029 and 2030 base pay, overall, it slices Garrett's 2029 and 2030 cap numbers by 15

1:04million and 8 million. Fans and insiders are buzzing because this opens a bigger trade window. Dead money on a Garrett deal drops from 69 million to a more doable. 40 million in 2026, especially with only 22 million in current cap room. Garrett skipped a voluntary mini-camp, costing him a $1 million workout bonus, and he hasn't talked to new coach Todd Munkins since January. Just text, he pushed for Jim Schwartz's headman, then bailed as defensive coordinator when passed over. Meanwhile, the Browns scraped just five wins last year, despite Garrett's record 23 sacks and 2nd defensive player of the year nod. GM Andrew Berry swears Garrett's a career Brown, echoing last year's trade demand denial, but QB woes with guys like Deshaun Watson's dead cat bomb. Loom large, no franchise savior on deck. Speculations hot on a blockbuster trade needing 3 plus first rounders or a young stud, giving Garrett's no trade clause and 179 million over five years. Playoff teams might bite or leverages for

2:10a raise to match the new 50 million per year non-QB bar. Browns could restructure Denzel Ward to Offset, but for now, it's all whispers as draft nears.