Monday 27 April 2020 18:37, UK
The Cleveland Browns will reportedly exercise the fifth-year contract options on star defensive end Myles Garrett and tight end David Njoku.
The decision to take the option on Garret was no surprise, according to the report by the Associated Press.
Garrett was the No 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft and has developed into one of the NFL's premier pass rushers. He had 13.5 sacks in 2018 and was on his way to another big season in 2019 before he was indefinitely suspended for striking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with a swung helmet in November.
Garrett missed Cleveland's final six games. He was reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in February.
The future for Njoku, who was taken with the No 29 pick in 2017, wasn't as certain. He missed 10 games last season after breaking his wrist and his future seemed in jeopardy when the Browns signed free agent Austin Hooper and then drafted Harrison Bryant, the John Mackey Award winner, on Saturday.
But Browns general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski both said they feel Njoku can still be productive.
"We still have a ton of belief in David and he is very talented," Berry said Saturday. "Obviously, he was not on the field much last year but he is a guy with outstanding physical tools, he has proven NFL production and we still think the future is very bright with him here."
The Browns were approaching a deadline on the fifth-year options for Garrett and Njoku. First-round picks sign four-year contracts and the team has to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option before the fourth season.
