When the Cleveland Browns signed DE Myles Garrett to a five year, $125 million deal this week, it really was a no-brainer for GM Andrew Berry and the Browns’ front office.
Yes, we have heard the criticism that Garrett isn’t the best defensive player in the league, so he shouldn’t be the highest paid, but that’s semantics.
Our guess is Garrett won’t be the highest paid for long, although the state of professional sports in the wake of COVID-19 may keep afford him that status longer than normal. However, in a couple of years, the former first overall pick in the 2017 draft likely won’t be in the top five.
As we have pointed out before, Garrett ranks 7th all time in sacks for the franchise, despite playing just three seasons in Cleveland. And with another 10 sack season in 2020, which would be a “meh” season for Garrett, he would jump into a tie for third with Rob Burnett.
According to our research, Garrett is the first Cleveland Browns to have recorded two seasons of 10 sacks or more with the franchise. And yes, we are dating back to 1946.
We understand sacks weren’t an official statistic in the NFL until the 1982, so the greats of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s aren’t eligible, but still even in the last 45 years, no other Browns’ player has had two seasons with 10 sacks or more.
The criticism of the deal comes from two sets of people. First, there are Browns fans who we think believe Garrett should get a sack on every play. It doesn’t work like that.
Last year, Shaq Barrett of Tampa Bay led the league in sacks with 19.5, just ahead of Chandler Jones with 19. In 2018, it was Aaron Donald of the Rams with 20.5, with J.J. Watt of Houston second with 16. Garrett was sixth that season with 13.5, his only full season in the NFL.
The second group of people are those who treasure salary cap space above everything else, seemingly including winning. Cleveland has the most cap space in the NFL, owing that to stripping down the roster and Garrett is the first player coming off their rookie contract.
These people exist in other sports too. The baseball people who think every minor league prospect is the next Mike Trout, and the basketball fans who want their team to be in the lottery every year so they have a shot at the first overall pick.
Winning for those folks is secondary.
We can tell you that Garrett is the first pass rusher the Browns have had since we can remember (mid sixties) that opposing offenses have to plan for, except maybe for when they had Lyle Alzado If you don’t double team him, he’s going to reek havoc on your passing game.
He’s also solid against the running game too. He’s not someone who is a subject to being trapped and therefore woefully out of position on running plays.
The Browns have a foundation for winning, now they just have to do it. If they succeed, they are going to have to pay big cash to the players who are the reason for that success.
Garrett is the first of those guys, and the Browns got it done. That should be celebrated, not questioned.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 