CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns have exercised the fifth-year options of 2017 first-round picks Myles Garrett and David Njoku, the club announced, and league sources say they’ll likely try to sign both to long-term extensions.

Garrett was the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 and Njoku was the 29th overall pick. The Browns can also negotiate extensions for them beginning this offseason, and will likely explore them with both. GM Andrew Berry has stressed the importance of keeping the team’s valued draft picks long-term.

The top 10 players in the first round receive the same amount in Year 5 as the fourth-year transition tender at their position, which in the case of Garrett is $15.184 million -- the average of the top 10 players at his spot.

For Njoku, he’ll receive the average of salaries of 2019 tight ends from third highest paid in the NFL to 25th, which is about $6 million.

There was never any question that the Browns would pick up Garrett’s option, but there was some doubt until recently about whether Njoku would be in the team’s long-range plans.

Berry effectively eliminated that uncertainty Saturday when he stressed that the tight end was an integral part of the team’s future even though they drafted Harrison Bryant in the fourth round out of Florida Atlantic and signed Austin Hooper to a blockbuster, four-year, $42 million free-agent deal that made him the NFL’s highest-paid tight end at $10.5 million a year.

"To David in particular, our perspective remains the same,'' Berry said Saturday as he wrapped up the NFL draft. "I have been pretty consistent this offseason in terms of we still have a ton of belief in David. He is very talented.

"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. David has always been and continues to be in our plans, and we are going to continue to add competition all across the roster.”

Njoku, who missed 10 games last season with a broken wrist that required surgery, returned late in the year only to be a healthy scratch for two of the last four games after Freddie Kitchens lost faith in him. In four games, he caught five passes for 41 yards and one touchdown. But the Browns believe that Njoku, 23, still has plenty of upside and will be a big playmaker in Kevin Stefanski’s tight-end-friendly offense, which most often utilizes two tight ends and sometimes three.

In 2018, Njoku caught 56 passes for 639 yards and four touchdowns. As a rookie, he caught 32 passes for 386 yards and four TDs.

Garrett, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018, was reinstated from his indefinite suspension by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Feb. 12 after he missed the final six games of last season. Garrett was indefinitely banned for removing the helmet of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hitting him over the head with it.

Garrett said in an ESPN interview that Rudolph incited him by calling him the "N" word -- a charge that Rudolph vehemently denies.

Garrett, who apologized for his actions despite the alleged racial slur, told ESPN’s Marty Smith this offseason that he’s grown from the incident.

"Just trying to be a better leader, better man,'' he said. " I feel like I, well I let down a lot of people with my actions from last season, but going into it knowing how much I’ve been with my family, been with Chris [Long], been with multiple players, just to be able to sit down with them, talk to them, and just absorb some knowledge.

"I feel like things are just different now [not just] on the field but for me as a person. I feel like this will be a very positive year if it gets started. I know things are up in the air right now. We don’t know when we’ll start. But it should be very fun.''

Garrett’s fifth-year salary would about double his current average of about $7.6 million a year. As the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, he signed a four-year fully-guaranteed deal worth $30.4 million, including a $20.258 million signing bonus.

Njoku signed a four-year rookie deal in 2017 worth a guaranteed $9.525 million, including a $5.6 million signing bonus. His average is $2.38 million.

In the case of Njoku, the Browns might let it play out into the season to see if he rebounds from a down year, and then possibly discuss an extension midseason.

In the case of Garrett, there might be more incentive to wrap him up long term because he’s one of the best players in the NFL at his position. He had 10 sacks in 10 games when he was suspended last season and was a legitimate candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, which is a goal of his. In 2018, he had 13.5 sacks in 13 games.

The Browns didn’t add a pass-rusher in free agency or the draft, but are counting on Olivier Vernon staying healthy and being more of a force this season. Last season, he missed most of the second half of the season with a sprained knee, and finished with 3.5 sacks in 10 games. But that didn’t deter Berry, nor had Vernon’s team-high $15.25 million contract for 2020.

"Olivier is a good football player, and we like having good football players on the roster,'' Berry said Saturday> "He’s a talented defensive end. He is here and will continue to be here.”

The same can be said for Garrett and Njoku.

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