BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Myles Garrett is used to striking fear in Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in the week leading up to their twice-a-year matchups.
Garrett, though, did give Browns’ fans and teammates cause for concern on Thursday when he didn’t practice because of a hip injury.
The All-Pro pass rusher was back on the practice field Friday and said he is set for Sunday’s season opener.
“We’re ready to go. Had some pain yesterday. I’m good today,” Garrett said Friday following a lifting session after practice.
Garrett has sacked Burrow nine times, his most against any quarterback. He has sacked Burrow seven of the eight times they have faced each other, including three multi-sack games.
Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will be matched up against Garrett most of the time, but Cincinnati also has rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild making his first NFL start.
“I know they’ll have the majority of the attention pointed at me. I know there’ll be some chips, some doubles, there’ll be some slides. So just trying to get ahead of that,” Garrett said.
Burrow is used to facing talented pass rushers in AFC North games, but he considers Garrett to be the best of the bunch.
“He can win the game if you let him,” Burrow said. “You have to be aware of where he’s at at all times with protection IDs and also know where your quick answer is in whatever concept you have called. Because sometimes he’s back there before you can catch the ball, basically, and you have to get it out.
“He’s going to make plays. And when he does, you got to hold on to the ball and not make a bad play worse.”
Sunday’s game will also be a matchup of the top two pass rushers from last season. Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson led the league with 17 1/2 sacks while Garrett was second with 14.
“It’s not me versus Trey, so I don’t think about it like that,” Garrett said. “I want to be the best player on the field. I plan to lead the league in sacks and it’s not like he’s pass blocking against me. I hope he does well. I hope he goes out and does what he’s supposed to do and I hope I do the same.”
Garrett has had an eventful nine months since he last played in Cleveland’s 2024 regular-season finale at Baltimore. He requested a trade during Super Bowl week before he signed a in March. Last month, he was cited for driving a Ferrari 100 mph on a suburban Cleveland interstate.
While Garrett was able to repair his relationship with the Browns, he acknowledged that his situation was different than Micah Parsons’ in Dallas before he got traded to Green Bay.
“Well, I mean, I wasn’t sleeping on the training table during games. I think him and I went at it in two very different ways and this wasn’t a relationship I wanted to ruin,” Garrett said. “There was always a potential of me being back in this same spot, which I am now. I don’t think that’s what he wanted after no discussions with Jerry and some of the other people, especially without his agent being present.
“I feel like that seemed like a show of disrespect, the way they were handling the situation, and I think the way ours was handled was a bit more respectful all around.”
Garrett’s focus, though, is on seeing if the Browns can bounce back after going 3-14 last season. Cleveland upgraded the defensive line with the addition of Maliek Collins and first-round draft pick Mason Graham.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said on Thursday he thinks this is his best group of defensive linemen in his three seasons with the Browns. Garrett is reserving judgement.
“It has the potential,” Garrett said. “But at the end of the day, potential is just that until you execute, until you apply it.”
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AP freelance writer Charlie Goldsmith in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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