Garrett’s debut is sure to draw scrutiny

Garrett will play his first game with the Browns Oct. 8 after missing four games with a sprained ankle.

Timing being everything, the football world can’t hope but notice the top two selections in the 2017 draft will each make his regular season debut in the NFL in Week 5.

Myles Garrett will play his first game with the Browns on Oct. 8 against the Jets after missing four games with a sprained ankle. One night later, Mentor High School graduate Mitchell Trubisky will start his first game with the Bears at quarterback on a “Monday Night Football” game against the Vikings.

Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown could be forgiven if he roots for the Vikings. The last thing he needs is another quarterback he passed

on in the draft looking good. Carson Wentz of the Eagles and Deshaun Watson of the Texans are already doing that.

Of course, one successful game by either Garrett or Trubisky won’t define whether Brown was right to take Garrett with the first pick, but for certain, great things are expected of the defensive end from Texas A&M. The Bears traded up to take Trubisky with the next pick.

This should be a good matchup for Garrett because he’s quick and strong, and he can track down immobile Jets quarterback Josh McCown the way a leopard tracks down a wounded animal. The Browns need him to dominate the way Aaron Donald dominates for the Rams.

“He has to walk out there and just play,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “It’s not about if you go out there and have two sacks or three sacks. That’s not what this is about. This is about winning the game and playing the best you can play for as long as you can play.”

Defensive tackle Danny Shelton missed the game with the Bengals last week because of a calf injury. He is also expected to play against the Jets.

The Browns rank near the bottom of the league statistically in most defensive categories, most noticeably in pass defense.

Opposing quarterbacks have a 115.2 passer rating against the Browns. To put that in perspective, the only two quarterbacks in the NFL with higher individual passer ratings are Alex Smith of the Chiefs (124.2) and Tom Brady of the Patriots (116.6). Put another way, Browns quarterbacks DeShone Kizer and Kevin Hogan have a 54.5 passer rating.

Garrett can change those numbers in a hurry if he turns out to be the pass rusher the Browns hope he becomes. The Browns have nine sacks through four games, led by Emmanuel Ogbah with two. They have given up nine touchdown passes and intercepted two passes.

“It’s exciting,” Garrett said. “I’m ready to play, ready to show what I can do. Being able to have them say that we’re going to put you out there on third down and we want you to flush the quarterback to one of the other guys or take him down yourself means they have confidence in me and what I can do. I’ll be out there as much as they want me to be, whether it’s a lot or a little.”

Fair or not, Garrett will be measured by what Trubisky does against the Vikings, even though they play on opposite sides of the ball. Kizer will also be measured by Trubisky, who, like Garrett, is being asked to save a sinking ship. The Bears, 1-3, rank 29th in scoring with 61 points. Ironically, the Browns are 28th with 63 points.