Myles Garrett, the Browns’ human wrecking ball and, let’s be honest, the guy holding opposing quarterbacks’ nightmares hostage, just scored a perfect 99 in “Madden NFL 26” (yeah, he’s that good in the virtual world: superhuman reflexes, Herculean power, zero weaknesses, at least, according to the game). But as those ratings dropped, some less-than-perfect news crept in from Browns training camp.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media that Myles Garrett was sitting out practice for “precautionary” reasons. According to Browns insider, Mary Kay Cabot, Stefanski’s choice of words was a little out of the ordinary. “Yeah, it was a strange vernacular there,” she explained, noting that “precautionary” felt a bit odd, almost like a hint that something’s actually causing Myles discomfort, even if nobody’s saying it outright.

“A lot of times in the past, they would give these veterans a day of rest,” Cabot pointed out. “But he didn’t just call it a day of rest—it was precautionary. That leads me to believe there’s something they are keeping an eye on… I think he had his leg wrapped the other day a little bit. So just something to watch as we move through the next couple of weeks.” In other words, all’s not automatically well just because the label on the bottle says “just in case.”

Garrett signed a 4-year extension in March 2025 for $160M, $123.5M guaranteed, making him the 2nd highest paid non-QB in NFL history. Evaluators gave him a PFF grade above 92 for the 4th straight season; 2nd among all edge defenders in 2024. Garrett said publicly, “I’m going to the Super Bowl… I’m going to be Defensive Player of the Year,” so he’s got that elite mindset going into the 2025 season. At 29 years old, edge defenders start to decline. He’s had no major injuries recently, but the team’s 3-14 collapse in 2024 has people wondering if Garrett can carry the defense without a QB or complementary talent.

These little injuries, these episodes of “Hey, let’s play it safe for now,” they add up. It’s enough to make you wonder if age is finally catching up with Myles Garrett or at least nipping at his ankles. Insiders and reporters are all whispering whether the so-called “precautionary” absences are just that or the football gods demanding the bill for all those edge rushes over the years.

Stefanski is in his 6th season as head coach with a 40-44 record after a 3-14 season in 2024 (despite playoff runs in 2020 and 2023). He won AP Coach of the Year twice (2020 and 2023), showing his high points, but he’s also been inconsistent lately. Now it’s all on Stefanski to get the team up this season, especially on the defensive side of things.

Kevin Stefanski’s latest injury updates raise concerns

So, is this no big deal or the first sign of trouble? Well, Stefanski’s update certainly stirred the pot in Cleveland. Defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Greg Newsome II were both held out of Day 9’s practice, Garrett for “precautionary” reasons and Newsome for a shoulder knock. Garrett’s absence couldn’t have gone unnoticed, even though the team had a good day defensively.

Kevin Stefanski’s pressers are usually where fans get answers. This time, he might have raised the concern level a tick. The word “precautionary” is doing a lot of heavy lifting for Stefanski these days: both Myles Garrett and Greg Newsome II sat out. Newsome’s injury is day-to-day, and Garrett’s…well, up for interpretation. Stefanski is known to keep things close to the vest, and now everyone’s squinting between the lines. Is this really just a hiccup, or are we seeing the opening act of an injury storyline that will matter down the stretch?

But there’s a silver lining as well. Many reported that the defense was still good without Myles Garrett. There were standouts everywhere, and the rest of the defense stepped up to fill the void, which is a good sign for the secondary and rotational pass rushers. But let’s also not get ahead of ourselves: a few big plays don’t change the fact that Cleveland’s chances of winning a championship ride on #95 being healthy and playing his best from the get-go. Mary Kay Cabot made that point, that realistically, Myles’ presence (and the way offenses have to game plan for him) is impossible to replace.

So, bottom line? Myles Garrett’s still the gold standard on the field (just ask the Madden ratings committee), but time and the grind spare no one. Stefanski’s “precautionary” label isn’t enough to stop Cleveland from crossing their fingers, toes, and anything else that bends. Will age finally slow down the Browns’ pass rusher, or is this just a speed bump before another monster season? Only time and Myles’ “wrapped” leg will tell.