If the Cleveland Browns‘ defense is going to play at its maximum potential next season, Myles Garrett will have to step up — both on and off the field.
Garrett has been a pillar of the Browns’ defense since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2017. He has four Pro Bowls to his name and has twice been a first-team All-Pro, racking up 74.5 sacks — the most in franchise history and he’s still in his prime.
But where Garrett has lacked is in the leadership department, which Terry Pluto of cleveland.com explored a little more in-depth recently. Pluto pointed to multiple instances where Garrett didn’t rise to the occasion as a leader, also adding that the Browns may have given the powerful pass-rusher some “special treatment.”
Pluto pointed to a few instances that stood out, including Garrett skipping out on the team’s trip to the Hall of Fame last season.
“One significant player declined: Garrett,” Pluto wrote, noting that Garrett said he didn’t want to go until he was in the Hall of Fame. “Other players on the team also noticed Garrett’s absence and the team’s lame response.”
Myles Garrett May Have Received ‘Special Treatment’
Veteran defensive end Jadeveon Clowney blasted the Browns for how he was being used last season, accusing the team of giving Garrett preferential treatment and more favorable matchups.
“You’re all trying to get somebody into the Hall of Fame when all that matters is winning,” Clowney told cleveland.com. “Everybody got here for a reason, and we can all make plays. I know I am.”
Perhaps Clowney — who later apologized to Garrett — wasn’t so far off and might have been voicing something other players were feeling as well, per Pluto.
“One of Clowney’s basic charges was that Garrett received special treatment,” Pluto wrote. “I’d heard [Joe Woods] may have been guilty of that – or at least, some players on defense thought so.”
Browns Star Myles Garrett Can Thrive Under Jim Schwartz
The Browns sent Woods packing shortly after the season ended and brought in veteran defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who is a no-nonsense coach who will push Garrett. Schwartz runs a scheme that puts the defensive line in focus and Garrett is excited about the shift.
“You have a lot of guys who have just been waiting on this opportunity that we have,” Garrett said. “I know Schwartz likes to say, ‘Take off the seatbelt.’ I think that’s really the mindset. You get out there and you’re just letting it loose. Don’t worry about all these rules and doing all this as soon as you know your assignment.”
Pluto sees the leadership of Schwartz as something that can be a positive catalyst in Garrett’s growth.
“Perhaps earlier in his career, Garrett may not have been as receptive of the tough coaching he’ll receive from Schwartz. This should be different. This should be better,” Pluto said. “Garrett should be ready to embrace a defensive leadership role on the field – and off it. The right things are now in place for him to do so.”
Schwartz has been open that he feels Garrett can be even more productive, which is a high bar considering he’s coming off back-to-back 16-sack seasons. And he’ll have some new company on the defensive line, which could feature three new starters. The Browns signed Ogbo Okoronkwo and Dalvin Tomlinson this offseason and also pulled off a big trade for Za’Darius Smith.
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Browns Star Myles Garrett Put on Notice Ahead of Crucial Season