Myles Garrett is a bit hobbled after exiting the final day of mandatory minicamp early but the Cleveland Browns don’t expect it to be a long-term issue.
While participating in a defensive line drill, Garrett appeared to injure his left hamstring. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year shut it down for the rest of the day from there, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com
It would be a nightmare scenario for the Browns if Garrett was not 100 percent for the start of the season. He recorded 14 sacks last season while battling a shoulder injury and was a player opposing teams needed to account for every play. He has tallied double-digit sacks every year since his rookie season. The former No. 1 overall pick has 88.5 sacks in 100 career games and is already the franchise’s career sack leader.
Browns skipper Kevin Stefanski didn’t sound too worried about Garrett’s injury after practice.
“He will be fine,” Stefanski told reporters.
Browns Expect ‘More’ From Myles Garrett
Garrett joined the team after skipping the voluntary OTAs. He worked with new defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire, who has high expectations for him.
“[We expect] a lot more,” Cesaire said on June 5. “And Myles knows that. Myles is the type of person that he wants to be great. You know, he wants to be great. He’s not just resting on his laurels and what he did last year, he understands that and he’s working. We’ve been in contact with each other, and I know that he’s been working. He’s working hard. I know he wants to come back, and obviously, when you lose in the playoffs, you don’t feel great about it. And so, he has things that he needs to work on. Everybody’s working on some things, so you’re going to see a drastic improvement from everybody this year.”
Garrett and the Browns led the NFL in total defense allowed with 270.2 yards per game last season. The team returns almost all the key pieces from that unit. That includes DE Za’Darius Smith, DT Shelby Harris, DT Maurice Hurst II and S Rodney McLeod, who all re-signed in free agency.
Myles Garrett Motivated by Playoff Loss
Garrett had a tremendous personal year and was the centerpiece of the Browns’ defense. However, the season ended on a rough note, with Cleveland getting pounded by the Houston Texans 45-14 in the Wild Card round. That game has been a source of motivation for Garrett this offseason.
“It’s definitely at the forefront of my mind always. That’s the last taste of football that we all had. I plan to make that apparent to everyone and continue to keep it as motivation for myself. We stepped out. We didn’t get the job done. We didn’t execute, and we fell short of our goals,” Garrett said on June 12. “Regardless of the injuries and anything else that transpired, we fell short, and we didn’t complete the mission. So, we have to lock back in. We have to circle the wagons and figure out how we can get better. First thing we can do is get out here and know exactly what to do in every situation. Be perfect in your P’s and Qs.”
The Browns are hoping to put their injury woes behind them. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is expected back for Week 1 and the team will also get Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb back at some point. The defense also had multiple key injuries down the stretch last season but should enter the year back at full strength.
The Browns open the season on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.
