The Cleveland Browns exited a disastrous 3-14 season in 2024 with multiple areas of concern but two big storylines: Myles Garrett’s trade request and another search for new quarterbacks — yes, multiple, likely one this week via free agency and another in the first two rounds of April’s draft.
On the day before the start of the player movement period, the Browns crossed off the first major priority and got Garrett to change his mind. On Sunday, Garrett and the Browns agreed to terms on a four-year extension that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at an average of $40 million per year and more than $122 million in guaranteed money.
But Cleveland remains a non-quarterback team with few realistic options for a significant upgrade. Because the Deshaun Watson experiment has failed miserably but the salary-cap ramifications remain, the path to changing the outlook lies in the team drafting the right quarterback in April.
Garrett changing his mind and at least theoretically helping the team build and recruit knowing that he’s locked in can be considered an offseason win. Now, can the Browns find some upgrades and retool the offense over the next several weeks and months?
Browns, Garrett agree to record deal averaging $40 million per year
Over the past five seasons, the Browns have been both big spenders early in free agency and fairly predictable in terms of targeting specific needs. This year, they have a long list of needs but figure to mostly be value shopping. Last week, Cleveland restructured Watson’s contract again to clear around $36 million in cap space. The team will still have around $135 million in cap commitments after 2025 to Watson, who’s rehabbing from a second ruptured Achilles tendon.
Over the Cap listed the Browns with about $12.5 million in cap space following the latest Watson restructure. They can create more space rather easily and in the past have been willing to backload big contracts with small first-year cap hits. But in a mediocre free-agent class, it’s unclear whether they’d be able to find many top-tier potential additions. The new contract for Garrett likely lowered his 2025 cap number of around $19.7 million, but the new numbers weren’t immediately available.
If the Browns find a big move they’d like to execute and need to clear a significant amount of cap space, they could trade cornerback Greg Newsome II. Newsome is locked in at a fully guaranteed $13.3 million for 2025 on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, but the team would clear that and take on no dead money if he was traded.
March 9
Browns agree to 4-year extension with DE Myles Garrett
Despite Garrett’s previous insistence that the Browns weren’t ready to win, he shifted his thinking and agreed to a four-year extension. The new deal includes a no-trade clause, $100 million in cash over the first three years and $122.8 million in total guarantees.
The Browns never planned to trade Garrett and always preferred to give him this kind of mega-extension. Presumably, Garrett both knew the Browns didn’t plan to budge and that realistic trade partners were few, given the value Cleveland would have needed to receive in return and the need for the acquiring team to pay this kind of new contract.
Spending hasn’t been the issue in Cleveland, and now it’s fair to assume the Browns will try to keep almost all of their older players with hefty contracts, a list that includes defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris and Ogbo Okoronkwo. The offense needs multiple new parts, but the team’s thinking when it comes to a significant 2025 turnaround is that the defense already had key pieces in place and didn’t reach its expected level consistently last season because the offense was so bad.
Garrett has long viewed himself as the league’s most disruptive defender. Now it’s time for him to back up that thought with his play.
9️⃣5️⃣ is staying in the 2️⃣1️⃣6️⃣
We’ve agreed to terms on a 4-year extension with Myles Garrett!
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 9, 2025
March 4
Browns tender LB Winston Reid, TE Blake Whiteheart
Reid, who joined the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Weber State last year, played in 16 games and started three. He had a half-sack, 23 total tackles, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups on the season.
Whiteheart, a 2023 undrafted free agent who spent his first season with the Arizona Cardinals, played in 11 games in 2024 for Cleveland and started two at tight end. He caught six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Feb. 24
Browns release safety Juan Thornhill
The Browns announced his release after two unproductive and injury-riddled seasons. The team will designate Thornhill as a post-June 1 cut for salary-cap reasons, and that transaction will officially process after the start of the new league year on Wednesday.
Browns release long snapper Charley Hughlett
Hughlett, an undrafted free agent in 2012, joined Cleveland as its long snapper in 2014 and played in 147 consecutive regular-season games from 2015 to 2023 before going on injured reserve last season with a hip issue. Hughlett was the second-longest tenured Brown behind offensive guard Joel Bitonio.
Browns sign CB Anthony Kendall
Kendall, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023 out of Baldwin Wallace, spent last season with the Tennessee Titans and made 16 game appearances. He also spent time on the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad last year.
Things to know
Obvious needs: Quarterback, left tackle, defensive tackle, running back, wide receiver, linebacker
Depth needs: Interior offensive line, safety, tight end, defensive end
Notable free agents: RB Nick Chubb, WR Elijah Moore, LT Jedrick Wills Jr., QB Jameis Winston, TE Jordan Akins
Potential restructure candidate: OT Jack Conklin (two years left, current 2025 cap number of $17.7 million)
Basic restructure candidates: CB Denzel Ward, G Joel Bitonio
Already restructured/not expected to play in 2025: QB Deshaun Watson
Made a trade demand that was really a demand for record money: DE Myles Garrett
Extension candidates: CB Martin Emerson Jr., RB Jerome Ford, C Ethan Pocic
Trade candidates: CB Greg Newsome II, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Cut candidates: DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Shelby Harris, LB Jordan Hicks, WR David Bell
(Photo of Myles Garrett: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
