Cleveland Browns must remain careful with Myles Garrett in training camp
The Cleveland Browns must not bring Myles Garrett back on the practice field until he is completely healthy for the 2017 season.
Cleveland Browns fans were overjoyed to get Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall in this year’s NFL Draft. But the joy took a right hook to the face when Garrett left the field during this month’s minicamp with an injury.
The injury was diagnosed as a lateral foot sprain, although Garrett is expected to be back for training camp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
At first glance, that is good news. Having Garrett back for training camp means he will get the preparation he needs to dominate during the regular season.
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Yet with training camp just over one month away, bringing Garrett back at the start of camp may not be a great idea. He has made a living on his feet, and if one is hurt he will not be as explosive as he should be.
The Browns must be extra cautious with Garrett this year, even if that means he isn’t ready for Week 1 of the regular season. There would be nothing worse than rushing him back only for him to keep missing time due to a nagging injury. Having him play hurt throughout the year would be just as bad.
While having Garrett sit on the sidelines may frustrate some fans, it is a much better option than letting him play when he isn’t fully healed. Browns fans are used to draft busts, and allowing Garrett to play hurt could put him on that path.
Some responsibility also falls on Garrett to wait until he is pain-free to return. He cannot try to tough it out and tell the team he is fine, only to go down in pain during the season when it becomes too much to bear.
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So while he wants to prove himself worthy of being the number one overall pick, the best thing Garrett can do is stay off his feet until he is fully healthy. People can call him soft all they want, but no one will be doing that once he is healthy and terrorizing quarterbacks and offensive lines all over the NFL.