The Browns traded DE Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, Nov. 5, opening up opportunities for defensive linemen further down the roster.
While Smith was in for 61 percent of the Browns’ defensive plays this season, veteran DE Ogbo Okoronkwo and younger players like DE Isaiah McGuire will look to fill in with Smith's departure.
"As far as the guys we have here, I have a lot of confidence," DE Myles Garrett said on Friday. "Isaiah has been studying behind us and Ogbo, watching us and developing on his own and coming into his own. So, we're glad to see him out there and getting those chances to develop into the player we know he can be.
"And Ogbo has been consistent since he's been here," Garrett continued. "He's been a threat and he's been that sixth man off the bench. Now he's going to get an opportunity to show what he can do on a more consistent basis."
McGuire has a forced fumble and a half sack in the eight games he has played in this season. Okoronkwo has two sacks and four tackles for loss through nine games this season and has played 40 percent of the Browns' defensive plays this season.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said that Okoronkwo and McGuire's varying skillsets will make both viable options opposite Garrett.
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the New Orleans Saints at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
A football during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Cornerback Kahlef Hailassie (25) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 13, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 14, 2024.
"[Okoronkwo] plays a little different than Isaiah, but he certainly has effectiveness," Schwartz said. "He does it with a little bit more quickness and things like that and some movement skills where Isaiah gives us a little bit more size and length in there. But I feel very confident that the guys we have can step up and fill [Smith's] shoes and produce well for us, not just against the run, but against the pass, also."
Smith was considered a leader in the Browns locker room, and Okoronkwo said he was sad to hear of the departure of his teammate and friend. However, the six-year veteran expressed his confidence in the leadership ability of himself as well as other defensive linemen on the roster.
"I think everyone in the locker room has an opportunity to step up and be a leader," Okoronkwo said on Friday. "We call this a player-led team, so anybody who feels like they want to say something and it's valid and it's going to push the needle in the right direction, we're all ears."
Garrett, a leader on the team and a 2024 team captain, will take attention away from whoever lines up on the other end. Because of his elite skillset as a pass rusher, Garrett often draws double or triple teams from opposing offenses in order to attempt to limit his game-wrecking abilities.
Per ESPN, Garrett has drawn a double team on 27 percent of plays, the highest rate in the NFL this season.
"I know I'll get a little bit less singles than most other guys, but when I do, I'm going to make the most of it," Garrett said.
In the Browns' Week 9 loss to the Chargers, Garrett certainly made the most of his one-on-one opportunities. In a four-play sequence, Garrett had three sacks, sending a reminder to the league of his dominance as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
Garrett had gone four games without recording a sack until Week 9 against the Chargers. Wrapping up QB Justin Herbert and bringing him to the ground in the backfield was a welcome feeling.
"I want to make plays for my team. I want to win games," Garrett said. "And I know that if I'm going out there and I'm feeling just good, if I'm feeling at least like myself, I can go out there and be a game changer for us as a team."
As the Browns head to New Orleans to face the Saints and QB Derek Carr, pressure from Garrett and the rest of the defensive line will be important if they are to leave with a win.
In seven games this season, Carr has been sacked just six times and pressured on 33.3 percent of snaps, the 18th-most in the NFL.
"He's played really well when he's been in there," Schwartz said of Carr, who missed three games with an oblique injury. "He's a guy that has a great arm, he can challenge all parts of the field and he has tremendous confidence in throwing deep balls."
In addition to his arm talent, Carr holds onto the ball an average of 2.73 seconds, the 11th-quickest release time among 35 eligible quarterbacks this season. Head coach Kevin Stefanski that in addition to good pass protection, the best way to combat facing a pass rusher like Garrett is getting rid of the ball.
"There's very, very few rushers that get the type of attention that Myles gets, those premier, premier guys," Stefanski said. "There's only so much you can do. And then the other big part of this is getting the ball out of the quarterback's hand, which teams certainly want to do that quicker than versus most teams."
