AFC Notes: Myles Garrett, Lamar Jackson, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says that DE Myles Garrett‘s new contract comes with a challenge of being the leader of the team.

“What we’ve challenged Myles on is, by his practice habits, by his actions, etcetera, to become a real leader of the team,” Haslam said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “And he has said he’d do that and we’re hopeful that he will be.”

“We had a lot of conversations about it, and there was never serious thought to trade Myles,” Haslam added. “What we know we have in Myles is a Hall of Famer. . . . These kind of situations are emotional. People say things, and you have to realize it’s not just the player. There’s an agent. There’s an agency who are working that process behind the scenes, and they’re really good at it. They’re really effective at it. And we’re just glad it worked out.”

Ravens

The Ravens have recently opened contract discussions with QB Lamar Jackson this offseason. John Harbaugh expects Jackson to receive a record extension.  

“The value is the top,” Harbaugh said, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “When Lamar gets paid, he’s going to be the highest-paid player in football, just like he was last time. I think every contract he signs, probably until he decides to hang up his cleats, he’s going to be that guy.”

Harbaugh made clear there has been internal dialogue on an extension, but is unsure how far along talks are. In the end, he thinks a deal will get done for Jackson “sooner or later.” 

“There’s been conversations about (a Jackson extension) internally, I know,” Harbaugh said. “How far along that is, I don’t know. … That’s going to continue to have to be addressed, really, with all those guys. You just have to kind of manage that dance — the salary-cap dance — and Lamar is the main part of that, because he’s the franchise player. That’s a possibility. Sooner or later, that’s definitely going to have to happen.”

Ravens president Sashi Brown said they will do all they can to support Jackson and make Baltimore a Super Bowl contender. 

“We love Lamar and love to see his progression and evolution as a young man, as a football player and team leader,” Brown said. “It’s been awesome to watch, and we want to do everything we can to support him and to really cap that story off and bring the Super Bowl trophy back to Baltimore’s hands.”

Steelers

The Steelers are still in contention to sign veteran QB Aaron Rodgers. One anonymous executive thinks Rodgers joining WRs D.K. Metcalf and George Pickens will create some compelling storylines. 

“Rodgers with Pickens and DK, if it’s not ‘Hard Knocks,’ it had better be,” the executive said, via Mike Sando of The Athletic. “I can’t think of a worse combination for all this to play out.”

Another executive criticized signing Metcalf to a four-year, $132 million deal and trading a second-round pick in exchange for him. 

“In what world do you look at DK and go, ‘Let’s give that guy ($30 million) a year and trade a 2 for him?’” the executive said. “That struck me as, you are in on Brandon Aiyuk, you’ve been in on all these guys, you have not gotten them, and you finally found one. Maybe Tomlin brings out the best in him. I could see elements of why they like it. Pairing him with Rodgers seems odd.”

One executive questions if Pittsburgh panic-bought Metcalf. 

“Any time Pittsburgh brings in a receiver, I’m tending to say, ‘OK, they have gotten it right more times than not, so they probably know something I do not know,’” another executive said. “But I question the mix. Are we seeing the first signs of Pittsburgh panic?”