Heading into the offseason, it was looking more and more like the Myles Garrett era was over for the Cleveland Browns, as the superstar defensive end demanded a trade during Super Bowl week.
However, Garrett and the Browns ultimately came to terms, with Cleveland handing him a massive contract extension that will keep him in town for the long haul.
But was that really the best decision for the rebuilding Browns?
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine isn't so sure, as he seems to think that Garrett's deal could potentially inhibit Cleveland in the future.
"On one hand, they handed Myles Garrett a massive four-year, $160 million contract extension. It keeps him on the roster through his age-35 season in 2030. It also feels like a win-now move with the potential to age like Von Miller's recent contract in Buffalo," Ballentine wrote.
Ouch.
For those who may not know, Miller agreed to a six-year, $120 million pact with the Buffalo Bills back in March 2022. To say the contract aged like milk would be putting it lightly, as Miller suffered a torn ACL at the back end of his debut campaign with the Bills and was cut after Year 3.
Miller's total numbers in Buffalo during that time? He appeared in 36 games, registering 41 tackles and 14 sacks. You know, the types of numbers Garrett (and Miller in his prime) posts over the course of one full season.
Now, to be fair, Miller was pretty good before going down with the injury in 2022, as he had logged 21 tackles and eight sacks in 11 games. That being said, the older you get, the greater the risk for injury, and we saw Garrett experience some nicks and bruises this past season.
All things considered, Garrett is still elite, whereas Miller was clearly on the decline when he initially inked his deal with the Bills. It's hard not to wonder if Garrett will be nearly as effective well into his 30s, though.
