Myles Garrett's new $40 million per year deal has placed him atop the edge-rushing mountain in the NFL.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Garrett will enter 2025 with great expectations, even if the same isn't true for the Browns as a whole. He's now being compensated quite lavishly and will be under a microscope from the start of the upcoming season through the final snap.
His defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, believes great things are ahead for the 29-year-old.
"I really think Myles is going to have the best season of his career. And has to right?" Schwartz said with a laugh. "I've told him before, what's that Spider-Man quote, 'with great power comes great responsibility.' With the big contract, with the notoriety that came along with that, with the process that took to get him to that point, there also comes ... there's always pressure in this league but probably a little bit more so. But I think that brings out the best in players, and I know that will be the case with Myles also."
Garrett has one Defensive Player of the Year honor, four All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowl nods under his belt. In each of the last three seasons, he's finished fifth or better in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He's already set an incredibly high standard for himself.
This is, however, optimism season. There's no better time than now for Schwartz to raise the bar even higher for Garrett, who likely understands it was inevitable as soon as he won his contract battle and put pen to paper on the eye-popping four-year, $160 million deal.
Schwartz isn't completely blowing smoke, of course. After the Browns invested their first two picks in their front seven -- including fifth-overall pick Mason Graham, a defensive tackle who should take some of the constant attention away from Garrett -- Schwartz has reason to believe his defensive front will be more powerful in 2025. Instead of watching teams double and triple team Garrett on nearly every down, Schwartz knows the additions Cleveland made up front should allow him to be more creative and position Garrett for better results.
In order for those results to equal the best season of Garrett's career, though, he'll have to exceed 16 sacks (a mark he's reached twice) and command the league lead in quarterback pressures. Toss in five forced fumbles, too, which would best his career-high mark of four.
Those numbers are lofty. But $40 million a year is already in the stratosphere of defensive contracts in the NFL. The Browns are hoping Garrett is ready for liftoff.
