Browns Sends Bold Message to Myles Garrett After OTA Absence

The Cleveland Browns are counting on a dominant, superhero-caliber season from star pass-rusher Myles Garrett after signing him to a record-breaking deal this offseason.

Garrett signed a lucrative $40 million per year extension with the Browns in March. It made him the highest-paid defender in the NFL. Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, is one of the most impactful players in the league. He’s racked up 102.5 sacks since entering the league in 2017 as the No. 1 overall pick, which includes four consecutive seasons with at least 14 sacks.

The extension came after a very public trade demand from Garrett. He cited that he wanted to play for a contender and did not feel on the same page with the Browns on the team’s direction. But cooler heads prevailed and the massive extension certainly helped.

With that in mind, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz thinks that Garrett will take his game a step further next season.

I really think Myles is going to have the best season of his career and has to, right?” Schwartz said. “I’ve told him before — what’s that Spider-Man quote? ‘With great power comes great responsibility,’ right? That’s with the big contract, with the notoriety that came along with that and the process that took to get him to that point. There’s always pressure in this league, but probably a little bit more so. And I think that, that brings out the best in players, and I know that’ll be the case with Myles.”

Myles Garrett Absent From Browns OTAs

Garrett’s absence from OTAs has been noticeable. The Browns have no questions about him showing up in shape. But from a leadership perspective, the team would likely prefer for the All-Pro to be present.

“I mean, this is a voluntary portion. We know Myles works hard no matter where he is, no matter what time of season is. He’s a veteran player that’s proven himself in this league,” Schwartz said. “We have a lot of guys out here who are trying to reach that level and they’re working hard every day to do that. Every player is a little bit different. But this is a voluntary part of the schedule, and we’re happy with the guys that are here, and they’re all working really hard.”

Garrett doesn’t need a refresher on Schwartz’s playbook as he enters his third season under the defensive coordinator. However, his presence at OTAs would be invaluable for younger players, especially first-round pick Mason Graham, who’s expected to start at defensive tackle.

Browns Challenge Myles Garrett to Be a Better Leader

After Garrett signed his deal, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam challenged Garrett to step up his presence as a leader.

“Not in my mind,” Garrett said after signing the deal. “I’ll continue to be the person that I have been, and I think just being that constant leader, I don’t think you can put a dollar sign on that at any time. Leaders come from guys who are undrafted to guys who are the highest paid. It doesn’t take a playmaker to be a leader, nor does it take, like I said, a dollar sign.”

The Browns’ mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 10-12.