BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – With another Browns season lost, defensive end Myles Garrett wants to know what the team plans to do to become competitive again.
Here’s a few Brownie Bites from Friday.
On notice – Garrett made it clear Friday although he wants to finish his career in Cleveland, he is not interested in going through another roster overhaul. “I want to win and want the Browns to be able to put me and us in position to win,” Garrett said. “And I'm not trying to rebuild, I'm trying to win right now. I want that to be apparent when the season's over and we have those discussions. I want them to be able to illuminate that for me, illustrate that for me. So that can be something that I can see in the near future because that's all we want to do. I'm going to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me, but we have to do at the end of the day what's best for us. So if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future, winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there, having a time of possession, running, game offense, getting all the guys back, and I think that would really keep my mind at rest, keep me settled and not just mine, a lot of the guys on the defense, the D-line around the team, but we have to continue to take strides forward, not just as players, but from the top down.” Garrett, the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year, was drafted first overall in 2017 and the team went 0-16 his rookie year. The pain of the franchise going 4-44 from 2015-2017 only yielded playoff seasons in 2020 and 2023. The team finished below .500 in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and now 2024. Once the offseason arrives, Garrett wants to know the plan to contend going forward, especially when it comes to finally finding a franchise quarterback. “As uncertain as it is from now, outside looking in, it's uncertain for us as well,” Garrett said. “So if DTR is the solution or someone else is it, it's got to be drawn out. There's got to be a plan of action and there's got to know where things are going.” Garrett opened the door to being willing to leave if the Browns front office is unable to get it together. “I mean it's a possibility, but I want to be a Cleveland Brown,” Garrett said. “I want to play here in my career here, but if we choose through rebuild and it's 2, 3, 4 years out, I want to be able to compete and play at a high level, play meaningful games and be playing past January.”
No excuses Njoku – Tight end David Njoku, who missed last week’s game against Kansas City due to a hamstring injury, returned to practice on Friday and has hopes of playing Sunday in Cincinnati. “One of the reasons is, number one, it's personal,” Njoku said. “Number two, last time we played them, they hit me hard as hell. So I'm pissed. I have to play. I'm dead serious.” Njoku’s production this season in down from a year ago that saw him make the Pro Bowl – 56 catches for 439 yards and five touchdowns. “I've been injured almost every game, but there's no excuse,” Njoku said. “Just like everybody has a job, I got a job too. Got to do it…. I mean, listen, there's no excuse. I don't believe in excuses, so you know what I mean? Tough year for me. I got to deal with it.”
Ward v Chase – Browns cornerback Denzel Ward leads the NFL in pass breakups with 19 while Ja’Marr Chase leads the NFL with 102 catches, 1,413 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns this season. “Certainly two great players,” Stefanski said. “I think when you're talking about competition and this game, sometimes this game does come down to one-on-one matchups. Now it's not every play, but sometimes it's a great defensive end versus a great offensive tackle or a great wide receiver versus a great db. Those are the matchups that I think are fun for our fans to watch, certainly as coaches and players, but it's also within the framework of the greatest team game there is. So there's certainly matchups, but it's going to be about us playing really good defense when facing the Bengals offense.”
Hall for Harris – With starting defensive tackle Shelby Harris out with an elbow injury, rookie Mike Hall Jr. should see significant playing time against the Bengals. “It's an opportunity for all those guys,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I think certainly Mike, as he's come back and had a role for us, his reps will increase, but I think Shelby's played really, really good football for us. So this is a thing where a bunch of guys have to take on a bigger role.” Hall has appeared in five games this season where he has totaled six tackles, one for loss and four QB hits. “It's just going to come down to just cage in the pocket,” Hall said of the plan to contain Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. “Not being independent contractors out there and just rushing as four, just keeping them in the pocket, stopping the quarterback scramble because when he scrambles, that's usually when he know what I'm makes those big plays down the field.”
Injury report – OUT: DT Shelby Harris (elbow); QUESTIONABLE: QB Jameis Winston (shoulder), TE David Njoku (hamstring), CB Martin Emerson Jr. (concussion), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion)