How reigning DPOY Myles Garrett is gearing up for 2024

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett knows a lot comes with his experience and pedigree.

He's not ready for one thing, though.

"Now it feels like I'm getting the nickname 'Unc' and 'OG' and crap," Garrett said after one of the Browns' first training camp practices at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

That's life for Garrett, who, at 28, enters his eighth season with the Browns as one of the team's elder statesman (along with tight end David Njoku , he's the second-longest tenured player on the team). He also has the distinction of being the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who says he spent part of his offseason training preparing for the extra attention that may come with accolade in 2024.

Garrett said much of his time during the offseason was spent watching film of other top pass rushers, including the Dallas Cowboys ' Micah Parsons , Pittsburgh Steelers ' T.J. Watt and San Francisco 49ers ' Nick Bosa .

"I watched a lot of tape, not only of myself, but of others and watching how they deal with circumstances or situations I get put in," said Garrett, who recorded 14 sacks in 2023. "Double team, chip, outside chip, wide receiver, tight end, from the backfield, triple teams, whatever it is, looking at how they go through their process and beating those and trying to implement that into my game however I can. Watching those guys definitely helps take my game to the next level because we have so many talented guys at the position. So just trying to learn from my own mistakes, watching it, day in and day out, making sure I minimize the mistakes that I made."

In 2023, Garrett faced a double team on 29% of his pass rushes, which trailed only Parsons. He still registered a pass rush win rate of 16.8% when facing a double team, which ranked fifth in the NFL.

Garrett has been more of a spectator through the first week of training camp. The Browns have put him on a ramp-up schedule after he injured his hamstring on the final day of mandatory minicamp in late June. Garrett downplayed the severity of the injury.

"Making sure everything's feeling right and just checking all the lights in the car and making sure the engine's running well and when we're finally there, ready to go," he said.

While Garrett hasn't been on the field, he has used this time to fulfill the leadership role that he has grown more comfortable with in recent years. During individual drills, he has often watched his position mates and then been quick to offer pointers for the younger defensive linemen.

"I took a rep out at [defensive] end during one-on-ones, and he came to me right after, just giving me tips and helping me try to get through my rush, what's something I can change," said defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr ., the Browns' second-round pick in the 2024 draft. "He was also telling me the good things I did. He's very transparent, and I really appreciate that. He's a Defensive Player of the Year, so he knows exactly what he's talking about."

Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has spoken about adding wrinkles to his scheme in his second year in Cleveland, and Garrett could play a role in that.

"When it comes to Myles, there's certainly things that we can continue to do with him that we've shown," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said, "and then there's always things that Jim and the defensive staff look at that maybe this would be a good complement to something we've done. So that happens really weekly with Myles, and it's helpful to have a smart player, a versatile player that can do both things. You can drop him into coverage, you can rush him. You can rush him on the inside, on the outside. So, I think there's really no limit to what you do."

Garrett sees his responsibility spanning beyond the sacks which have helped him become known as one of the most feared pass rushers in the league. It could be getting his hand up for a deflection, he said, or occupying a double team and freeing his teammate for a sack.

Whatever the Browns have planned for him in 2024, his job doesn't change much in his mind.

"My role is to make plays," Garrett said. "I don't think you can get bigger than that."