The Cleveland Browns have enough anxiety getting ready to battle Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. But those levels rose quickly when Myles Garrett missed Thursday’s practice with a hip injury.
For a moment, Browns fans were wondering if some of their controversial moves would come back to haunt them against a high-powered Bengals offense. But Garrett’s return to practice came at the right time for a defensive unit that will have to carry the load when the season begins.
Myles Garrett and the Browns Defense Will Have to Exceed Expectations in 2025
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot spotted Garrett participating in individual drills during the portion of practice that was open to the media on Friday morning. While it’s obvious that having Garrett back increases the Browns’ chances of winning, he’ll also be part of a group that has to exceed expectations coming off a 3-14 season.
The Browns had a lot of things go wrong a season ago, ranking 27th in points allowed (435) and tying for the eighth-highest yards per play allowed (5.6). Things got worse when linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah injured his neck midway through last season, and the Browns traded away Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions at the deadline. More moves followed as Dalvin Tomlinson left in free agency and Ogbo Okoronkwo was cut in June, leaving Garrett to shoulder more of the load.
This should be a given considering Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March that pulled a trade demand off the table. But there’s an increased emphasis on leadership as the Browns incorporate seven new starters on defense, including rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham and rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
The defense becomes more important with what the Browns have on the offensive side of the ball. 40-year-old Joe Flacco will try to replicate his playoff run with the Browns in 2023, but the rest of the skill positions are underwhelming. Meanwhile, second-round pick Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned as he battles ongoing legal issues and awaits the result of an investigation by the NFL.
With everything surrounding Garrett, his return to practice is more of a welcome sight than normal, and it could leave Cleveland feeling a little better as they prepare to battle the Bengals in Week 1.