In the eyes of Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, defensive end Myles Garrett has already wrapped up the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Stefanski staked his reputation on Garret this week, telling reporters that the pass rusher is as good as anyone else on defense.
“He’s dominant as a defensive player, so he’s the Defensive Player of the Year,” Stefanski said. “I don’t think it’s close.”
Kevin Stefanski with some really strong statements on #Browns DE Myles Garrett, including best defensive player on best defense: pic.twitter.com/dRnnZXL6rA
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 18, 2023
The stats back up the claim. Garrett ranks seventh in sacks with 13, fifth in quarterback hits with 26 and 11th in quarterback pressures with 32. He also ranks second in the NFL with a 30 percent pass rush win rate and 68 total pass rush wins – behind on the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, per ESPN.
This past week, Garrett tallied 11 pressures for a 30.9 percent pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus, despite not registering a sack for the fourth consecutive game.
Awards are typically production-based, though, so Garrett will need to rack up more sacks if he wants to stake a better claim to the award. He currently ranks second in DPOY betting odds, per BetMGM, at +165. Only Parsons is ahead of him at +100.
Garrett has some tasty matchups in the final three games of the year against the Houston Texans, New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. All three teams rank in the top-10 in sacks allowed this season: The Jets have given up 61 (second), the Texans have given up 41 (tied for seventh) and the Bengals have given up 38 (10th).
This is primetime for Garrett to better his odds to take home the award.
