Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett could make huge jump in 2018
By Dan Justik
After dealing with injuries for most of his rookie season, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett could make a huge jump in production during the 2018 season.
When the Cleveland Browns drafted Myles Garrett first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, they were expecting a player that could instantly transition to the NFL and make a huge impact.
Unfortunately for Garrett and the Browns, an early ankle injury forced him to miss the first four games of the season. Once recovered from that ankle injury, he dealt with other injuries during the season, including a concussion and another sprained ankle.
But when Garrett was on the field, he was showing the type of impact he can make. In his first snap of the regular season, Garrett made his first career sack.
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On the season, Garrett made seven sacks and 31 total tackles in 11 games. When he was on the field, he was making his presence felt.
However, Garrett was not garnering the stats he could have potentially had if the Browns pass defense was able to maintain coverage for a second or two longer.
Garrett totaled 37 pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus. But no matter how many pressures Garrett was forcing, a poor Browns secondary was giving the quarterback quick options. The Browns secondary was playing mostly off the line of scrimmage, surrendering short and quick throws. Garrett was not going to have enough time to get to the quarterback with how quickly the quarterback was releasing the ball last season.
But with a remodeled secondary that will fit how defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wants to use his them, it should force the quarterback to hold on to the ball longer than he did during the 2017 season.
Williams likes to play aggressive, press-man coverage with a good amount of blitzes. Being in press coverage, receivers are not going to be able to flash open immediately after the snap. With the quarterback forced to hold the ball longer compared to last season, Garrett is going to be able to turn pressures into more sacks.
He will also be playing with opposite defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah more often. When Garrett and Ogbah were on the field together last year, they were showing the potential to be a dominant 1-2 combo. In the games the two players played together, Garrett and Ogbah totaled eight sacks and 44 tackles. But Ogbah suffered a foot injury in the middle of the season, ending his season.
With both players healthy and on the field together for a full season, they can prove how good they can play together. Both players can get to the quarterback, which could create problems for how offenses scheme their blocking. And if both players can generate pressure, it would be hard for quarterbacks to break contain, thus getting forced into one of the two edge rushers.
Garrett has already shown the potential to be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. And that was with the circumstances surrounding him not being normal because of injuries or a changed defensive scheme.
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But entering 2018, everything seems to be setting up for a potentially big year for Garrett. The Cleveland defense should be greatly improved from the 2017 season, and it could be because of the play of Garrett.