Gary Barnidge, Browns Agree to New Contract: Details, Comments and Reaction

The Cleveland Browns announced Thursday they signed tight end Gary Barnidge to a contract extension. Barnidge has inked a three-year deal worth "[$12.3 million] with a little over $5.5m in guaranteed money," as reported by Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo on Twitter.

Barnidge was in the final year of a three-year, $3.75 million contract that would have made him an unrestricted free agent at season's end, per Spotrac.com.

Here is Barnidge's announcement on Twitter:

Barnidge is enjoying a career season with the Browns, racking up 817 receiving yards with a team-leading 60 catches. Both of those numbers are personal bests for the 30-year-old, who never had more than 13 receptions and 242 yards in a single season. 

His catches, receiving yards and yards per catch (13.6) this year rank him third among all tight ends in the NFL in each respective category. 

According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, it was Barnidge who got the wheels turning for this extension, meeting with Browns majority owner Jimmy Haslam:

The eighth-year veteran has been one of Cleveland's best playmakers no matter the quarterback under center, proving to be reliable with Josh McCown, Austin Davis and Johnny Manziel delivering passes to him. 

With seven touchdowns, he's developed into a safe target in the red zone, a valuable set of hands to have for any team. 

Sometimes, though, he hasn't used his hands to make the big play, as FanSided showed:

That catch off of his rear end against the Baltimore Ravens was just a showcase of the kind of athleticism he holds, making him a difficult receiver for many defenders to hold down. 

His confirmed stay with the Browns was a delight for general manager Ray Farmer, who spoke to Browns.com's Andrew Gribble, per the team's announcement: "This is good news for both Gary and the Cleveland Browns. Gary is someone that does things the right way, both on and off the field. He’s a true professional and we are excited to have him remain a Cleveland Brown."

On a team that has struggled to produce much offense—the Browns are ranked 26th in the league—holding on to an emerging pass-catcher like Barnidge is a step in the right direction, especially for a squad that has had difficulty doing positive things over the past few seasons.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.