Myles Garrett and David Njoku will be members of the Cleveland Browns through at least the end of the 2021 season. That is per a report from ESPN’s Jake Trotter on Monday. Per Trotter, the Browns will exercise their club options for the fifth year of their respective rookie contracts.
Garrett and Njoku were first-round picks by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. The first four years of their contracts are set, but all first-round picks come with fifth-year options at the club’s discretion. The Browns had until May 3rd to pick up those options.
Garrett’s option was a no-brainer, but there was some question about if the team would exercise the option on Njoku. After signing TE Austin Hooper to a massive contract in free agency and then drafting promising young Harrison Bryant over the weekend, Njoku faces an uncertain role and future. By exercising the option, the team decided that Njoku’s value is enough to keep for at least one more season…barring any trade activity. The Browns already traded the third member from the 2017 first-round class, safety Jabrill Peppers.
The team does still have the ability to sign either player to a new contract extension before the end of the exercised options.
