Garrett optimistic despite disappointing rookie season
BEREA — Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett didn’t have the rookie season he wanted, but he’s still confident he’ll have the career of his dreams.
“Did well but not up to my standards,” Garrett said Friday as the Browns (0-15) prepared for Sunday’s season finale at the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-3). “I want to be a force in this league and didn’t feel like I did that this year. But there is always next year, and there is always the next game.”
The Steelers have clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, and even though they could still earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC if they defeat the Browns and the New York Jets upset the New England Patriots, they’re expected to rest some of their key players.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Le’Veon Bell didn’t practice Friday for non-injury-related reasons, which suggests they’ll sit out. Receiver Antonio Brown has been ruled out because of a calf injury.
Garrett said he’ll be disappointed if Roethlisberger doesn’t play. He would be replaced by Landry Jones, who authored a 27-24 overtime win over the Browns in the 2016 season finale.
When the Browns drafted Garrett first overall on April 27, he made it known how badly he wanted to sack Roethlisberger — “chop him down,” he said. But Garrett missed the first four games with a high-ankle sprain, so he didn’t face the Steelers when Big Ben improved to 21-2 as a starter against the Browns with a 21-18 season-opening win in Cleveland.
“I’ve been waiting for my chance, and I know they probably think of it as a smart move to probably sit him and rest him for the playoffs,” Garrett said. “But I’d really like to go and get my chance to play against him, seeing as he’s an elite quarterback and been doing it for so long and so well. So we’ll see.”
Garrett realizes the Steelers probably haven’t forgotten his tough talk about pummeling their franchise quarterback.
“Whether they have a target on my back or not, it doesn’t really matter to me,” he said. “We are out there to play and have fun.”
Garrett, who turned 22 on Friday, would be having more fun if he had taken the league by storm right away. Before the draft, Garrett said he wanted to set the rookie sack record, win the defensive player of the year award and crack the top 10 on the career sack list en route to becoming the greatest player of all time.
“I feel like if I’m able to be healthy the whole season, not have any setbacks, then I can achieve those goals and exceed them,” he said.
Garrett has yet to fully recover from the right high-ankle sprain he suffered in practice Sept. 6. The injury has been aggravated, including Dec. 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It was the beginning of the season, first time to make my mark, and then they’re telling me that I have another high-ankle sprain, so it was terrible news at the time,” said Garrett, who dealt with a left high-ankle sprain last season at Texas A&M. “But I just had to make the best of it. Originally I did, but I kind of had some lapses here and there. But once I’m fully healthy, I’ll be back to doing my thing.
“You can’t make excuses out on the football field because nobody’s going to take excuses. (The ankle) might’ve been bothering me, but I’m never going to say it’s affected me or it kept me from getting to the quarterback (or) it got to me mentally.”