One could look at DE Myles Garrett and assume that the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who has made the First-Team All-Pro list three times and been named to the Pro Bowl in five of his seven seasons, has it all figured out.
Garrett would be the first to correct that assumption.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound pass rusher emphasized how important watching tape, not only of himself but of the other top defenders in the league, is in his offseason routine as he seeks to improve his game.
"I watch a lot of tape. Not only of myself, but of others," Garrett said, referencing some of the league's top pass rushers, including Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons. "Watching how they deal with circumstances and situations I get put in – double teams, chips, outside chips, looking at how they go through the process of beating those and trying to implement that into my game however I can."
Garrett finished the season with 14 sacks – tied for seventh in NFL – and a 30 percent pass rush win rate – second in NFL -- despite being double teamed on nearly 30 percent of snaps.
As one of the best defensive players in the league, Garrett is in a prime position to lead what was a top defense in the NFL last season. Garrett said that he uses his experience to advise both his fellow pass rushers as well as help his offensive teammates navigate what challenges defenses throw at them.
"I take on a mentorship role when I'm with the guys, whether it's offense or defense," Garrett said. "Giving them the keys and tips that I see and try to further their games and try to make the game slow down for them."
Garrett reflected on how his mentality has shifted since he was a young defensive end entering the NFL to now securing a spot as an elite pass rusher – and earning the nicknames "Unc" and "OG" from his younger teammates.
"It just didn't feel real," Garrett said on his first few years in the NFL. "And finally, in the last four or five years I would say, it's kind of settled down. I'm feeling more comfortable in that leadership role, taking that platform and using it to empower my teammates. I'll continue to encourage them and make them better, but also give them the courage to speak up and make them become leaders when the time comes."
Garrett is a player that each of the Browns' 2024 opponents would likely list among their top concerns when facing the Browns. That means facing a lot of attention from opposing offensive lines as teams attempt to prevent Garrett from wreaking havoc on their quarterbacks.
For Garrett, individual stats don't matter as long as someone on the defensive line is getting after the quarterback.
"How are you going to put yourself in a position to win and put your teammates in a position to win? How can you allow them to take over if you're going to take on two or three?" Garrett said. "Seeing how someone can make the play, not just me. It's a defense full of stars, so I want to give all these guys the opportunity to shine."
Yesterday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that DT Dalvin Tomlinson would undergo knee surgery on July 26 and his status for the Browns' season opener against the Cowboys was in question.
Garrett credited depth as a reason behind the Browns' confidence in their defense with or without Tomlinson – but emphasized the value the eight-year vet's vocal leadership has brought to the defensive line.
"We have gathered a lot of really solid, really great players on the D-line," Garrett said. "It's nice to have that amount of depth in our position, in our room but he'll definitely be missed. He's a leader out there. The game has slowed down for him, he's going to make those proper calls when I'm on his side or Ogbo (Okoronkwo) or (Za'Darius Smith) or whatever to get us free. … He'll be missed but I know he's going to use that time to get in even better shape and study the game be around with us."
Garrett warmed up to the side to start practice for the second day in a row before joining the defensive line. The defensive end tweaked his hamstring during minicamp but expressed his confidence in avoiding missing time.
"Feels good to me," Garrett said, referencing his hamstring. "I think it was just a matter of being overly cautious and not wanting to play with fire. So just making sure that we slowly bounce back so we don't have any setbacks here right before the season."
