Yes, it is June, but no franchise wants the spectacle of seeing the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year hobble off the playing field with an apparent leg issue.
And Myles Garrett may mean more to the Cleveland Browns and their hopes of returning to the playoffs after the 2024 season than anyone else on the roster.
Garrett was the unquestioned team leader on the defensive side, spearheading what became the NFL’s number one unit.
However, the Browns were hit with a sudden and unexpected setback during practice, casting a dark cloud over their preparations.
According to Fred Greetham, the star defender walked off the practice field on Thursday holding his leg and engaging with athletic trainers.
While there is no immediate word on Garrett’s status, he did walk off on his power to be checked out by the team’s medical staff.
Just how dominant was the Cleveland defensive unit with him as its leader?
The defense ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed per game and number one in pass defense in an era of wide-open offenses.
This came despite injuries forcing the Browns to start five different quarterbacks in 2024, and Deshaun Watson hardly lit up the scoreboard when he was healthy.
But the defense led the way and the team persevered into the playoffs, where the Watson-less club was trounced in Houston, 45-14, in the AFC Wild Card round.
If Watson were to regain the form he once displayed in Texas and before being swept up in controversy, the defense could again lead the way into the postseason.
