The Cleveland Browns are predictably unpredictable.
Just when we all assumed the Myles Garrett situation couldn’t get any messier, he signed a massive four-year extension worth $40 million per year with $123 million fully guaranteed.
The Browns finally found a resolution with their future Hall of Famer, ending any talk about his future while increasing the possibility that he plays his entire NFL career in Cleveland.
Garrett reportedly had zero interest in signing a new deal with the Browns, and the situation only became more awkward when team owner Jimmy Haslam denied a meeting with the All-Pro pass-rusher. But that’s in the past now, as the Browns have made Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in history.
The offseason work is only just beginning for general manager Andrew Berry. The cap-strapped Browns must navigate the choppy offseason waters and figure out how to solve their quarterback conundrum.
Garrett’s extension may have provided a clue about their plans.
Cam Ward to the Browns feels inevitable after Myles Garrett extension
Cleveland sits in a precarious position at No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft. Until the Tennessee Titans lock in a pick, there’s always the danger of a team leapfrogging the Browns for a quarterback.
However, the Titans may have tipped their hand by releasing pass-rusher Harold Landry. They need defensive help, making Abdul Carter an obvious pick at No. 1 overall. There’s also one fewer QB-needy team picking in the top 10 after the Las Vegas Raiders traded for Geno Smith.
The stars are aligning for the Browns to draft Cam Ward at No. 2.
Carter is no longer an obvious choice, even if he somehow falls beyond the top selection. While a Carter-Garrett pairing would terrify offenses, the Browns have a bigger problem to fix.
Cleveland needs to find its Deshaun Watson replacement, and the draft presents a far more affordable option than spending big on a free-agent passer like Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins.
Ward has star potential and could finally give the Browns the franchise quarterback they have searched for. With 11 projected picks after the first round, Berry could use the Browns’ extra resources to surround Ward with talent without breaking the bank in free agency.
A team could trade with Tennessee to jump ahead of Cleveland, but with the New York Giants’ rumored interest in Aaron Rodgers and the Raiders trading for Smith, it now feels far less likely.
Carter to Tennessee and Ward to Cleveland? It’s written in the stars.