The Cleveland Browns just handed Myles Garrett a contract extension of $160 million, but one ESPN analyst thinks they made a huge mistake. It’s not that Garrett isn’t worth the money.
Cleveland might be throwing good money after bad on a team that can’t figure out what it wants to be. With training camp around the corner and four quarterbacks battling for one starting job, the Browns’ offseason moves are raising more questions than answers.
Why Did Cleveland Give Myles Garrett $160 Million When the Team Is Still Rebuilding?
ESPN analyst Seth Walder, who questioned two of the Browns’ most significant offseason moves, signing Myles Garrett to a massive contract extension and trading for quarterback Kenny Pickett, is one of the more vocal critics.
Walder believed it was a mistake to lock Garrett down with a $160 million extension, not because Garrett isn’t a great player but because of the Browns’ current standing as a team.
“This was a missed opportunity for Cleveland to turn Garrett, a Browns legend but also heading into the latter half of his career, into future assets,” Walder wrote.
I evaluated and graded the decision-making of all 32 NFL teams this offseason, from the Rams (A) to the Saints (D)! https://t.co/P1W4SBeKYb
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) July 10, 2025
Given that Garrett is the center of the locker room and a six-time All-Pro, it’s a bold stance. Garrett has a huge presence on and off the field, and his ability to dominate games has always been known.
However, Walder thinks the Browns are torn between rebuilding quietly and trying to compete. He believes Garrett’s massive contract doesn’t fit the team’s unclear trajectory, particularly when Cleveland struggles with salary cap pressure and hasn’t resolved its quarterback position.
“The Browns are not in a good cap position and could have used the financial savings, too,” Walder said.
What Does the Kenny Pickett Trade Mean for Cleveland’s Quarterback Chaos?
Walder questioned the second move: the trade for Kenny Pickett. Although it didn’t cause many concerns at the time, the move now seems confusing and desperate, considering the Browns selected two quarterbacks in the draft: Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Walder called the Pickett trade “a head-scratcher” without holding back. He pointed out that even if Pickett didn’t accomplish anything to increase his value in 2024, the Browns still paid more for him than the Eagles did a year earlier. None of Cleveland’s four quarterbacks entering camp, Pickett, Sanders, Gabriel, and veteran Joe Flacco, are sure to start. For a team looking for consistency, that’s not ideal.
Additionally, Flacco is 40 years old and hardly the long-term solution, although he might have the early advantage following his time with the team in 2023. Both rookies require developing time, and Watson’s future is still uncertain. There are many unanswered questions in the quarterback room.
Meanwhile, the Browns will rely on Garrett to lead the defense and maintain focus in the locker room amidst the chaos. He had the option to leave Cleveland, but he decided to stay. Now that he has a $160 million contract and much greater expectations, Garrett remains the centerpiece of a team still unsure of its future.
