Cleveland Browns’ second-year star Mason Graham had quite a lot to say during his media session during Cleveland’s second OTA session this week. Graham, looking noticeably slimmer, commented that he played the back half of last year with a broken rib, and he had a comment on star Myles Garrett’s absence from practice.
In response to the question about Garrett, Graham minced no words. He said, “I mean… he is the best player in the NFL, so I’m not taking (anything) away from him not showing up. He has his own life… Come time on Sundays, he is going to be ready to work.”
It is frustrating that Garrett is not in Cleveland for OTAs, but ultimately, everything that Graham said was correct. There is a saying in the corporate world that goes, “Be who you can afford to be.” Every player has a different set of rules. If a player who had 1.5 sacks and .5 tackles for loss last season was skipping practice, it would likely be the end of his career.
If a player who had 23.0 sacks and 33 tackles for loss missed OTAs for whatever reason, no one would bat an eye. Thankfully for Cleveland, this scenario is the latter of the two options.
It does feel like more than ever that Garrett is simply just a hired gun for the Browns at this point. He has truly given everything that he could to Cleveland to try to turn this organization into a winner. When it didn’t work, he provided an ultimatum last year, and Cleveland paid up instead of trading him.
Now, Garrett is going to, and rightfully so, do the minimum to get sacks on Sundays and nothing more. He knows that this team, while it took major steps this offseason, is still not in a Super Bowl window. So, for him, missing an OTA isn’t a big deal.
Garrett was publicly frustrated this offseason when Cleveland decided against hiring former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz who Garrett obviously had a great relationship. The Browns went with Todd Monken, and it drove the wedge between him and the organization that much deeper.
Mason Graham answered the question perfectly, and while it is frustrating, it is going to be the reality for Garrett in a lot of different scenarios this season.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns future star comments on Myles Garrett’s absence from OTAs
Reporting by Anthony Moeglin, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
