What was more shocking the last several days with the Browns, the contract extension defensive end Myles Garrett or the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to get quarterback Kenny Pickens?

Probably a tie, right?

Indeed, no one saw either one of those moves coming.

Of course, the members of the national media, many of whom don’t do their homework, shoot from the hip and ask questions later, all with the sole intent of creating controversy instead of telling the truth, hated both moves. I loved the retention of Garrett. He has a lot of gas left in the tank, and where else are the Browns going to get anything close over the next four seasons, the duration of the contract, to the numbers he will put up?

A team needs production from four different position groups in edge rusher, cornerback, left tackle and quarterback. You can’t afford to give away a future Pro Football Hall of Famer who can get to the passer and wreck offenses.

I’m not quite sure how the Browns are going to use Pickens. I have to believe he will be merely the backup, slotted between the bridge quarterback and the passer they will take in the NFL Draft.

In any event, the Browns didn’t give up much to get him, only quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who played his way out of ever having a chance to be the quarterback at Cleveland, and a throwaway fifth-round pick in the NFL Draft in a couple months.

We don’t know what the Browns’ plans are at quarterback. The same can be said for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Baltimore Ravens can’t get to where they want to go, even though they have one of the top quarterbacks in the game in Lamar Jackson. As for the Cincinnati Bengals, they have Joe Burrow, who, for my money, is the second-best quarterback in the league, and a great set of receivers, and not much else.

Welcome to the AFC North.

Steve King