With the 2026 NFL season quickly approaching, the Cleveland Browns and head coach Todd Monken have begun to prepare for the year this month during the team’s OTA period.
While Browns fans are excited to see all of the organization’s newest additions, there have been no signs of star defensive end Myles Garrett with the team this offseason. This has left fans questioning whether or not the team’s star player will be with Cleveland in the near future.
When asked about whether he’s had an interaction with Garrett this offseason, the newly hired defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg gave a strange response, telling reporters that he keeps his and Garrett’s interactions between himself and Garrett.
“Knew that’d be a question. I’m going to leave a lot of that interaction between Myles and me,” Rutenberg stated. “There has been some [interaction], yes.”
Garrett, Browns heading into 2026
After a brutal 2025 NFL season for the Browns, the one positive out of the underwhelming year was Garrett breaking the single-season sack record. The incredible feat, once held by Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt, was broken during Cleveland’s final regular-season contest against the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, while plenty of fans were able to enjoy his successful 2025 campaign, there have been multiple bumps in the road between Garrett and the organization throughout the offseason.
In March, Garrett and the front office agreed to restructure his contract, which saw his $29.2 million option bonus get pushed back to September. This gave the Browns more money for this offseason, but also left the door open for Cleveland to be able to trade him in the near future. Still, general manager Andrew Berry made it clear over the past couple of months that he has no intentions of trading Garrett, while Monken continues to reinitiate the same message.
Now, with the OTA period in full swing for the Browns, there have been no signs of Garrett. Luckily for fans, this does not mean the veteran defender is holding out, as he has not participated in the team’s voluntary workouts in the past. As for the relationship between him and the coaching staff, it remains unclear as to how the two parties will be by the regular season.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns’ DC Mike Rutenberg gives strange response on Myles Garrett
Reporting by Dylan Feltovich, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
