Myles Garrett sets expectations high on Day 1: Super Bowl and another DPOY

BEREA — Not even six month ago, Myles Garrett had requested a trade and was telling anyone who would listen he didn't think the Browns were in position to contend for a Super Bowl.On the first day of training camp, he was singing a different tune.Browns Myles Garrett has huge expectations for himself and Browns entering camp. pic.twitter.com/pZLFJmGq3z— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 23, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"I expect to get to the Super Bowl. That's our expectation every year. I expect to run it back to Defensive Player of the Year," he said Wednesday before the first full-squad practice of camp. "So keeping both those things in mind, I have to be the very best player I can be every single day, whether we're practicing or playing. As soon as I step in the building, I have to be the best version of myself and the best leader I can possibly be."Toughness emphasized as training camp startsThe front office immediately denied the trade request from the 2023 NFL DPOY and four-time first-team All-Pro and continued to do so until Garrett returned to the negotiating table and in March signed a four-year, $160 million extension, which at the time was the most expensive deal for a non-quarterback.Garrett's frustration was obvious as the 3-14 season wrapped up last year and was asked how he's been able to once again find optimism.Browns Myles Garrett on why he has such high expectations coming off 3-14. pic.twitter.com/XhQJCVKYpO— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 23, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"You got to channel it," he said. "I have such high expectations for the team because I have such high expectations for myself. The team's going to go as I go, I'm going to try to be the driving factor behind that and create a standard which everyone has to chase every single day."The Browns will practice for two days without fans, before the first of eight public practices Friday. The oddsmakers, media and much of the fanbase don't share Garrett's lofty expectations. The over/under for wins is 4.5 or 5.5, depending on the site.Browns introduce first all-brown helmet in franchise history, will wear it three times this season"Because we played very bad last year," seven-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio said. "We were disappointed. I think everybody was disappointed. I went 0-16, 1-15, 3-13. I feel like that was probably my most disappointed year just with what we had done the year before and the players we had."So it was very frustrating. So I understand why the outside world wants to write us off because it makes sense from what you're looking at the year before."Garrett joined Bitonio in hating 3-14 more than 0-16 in 2017 because the Browns were coming off 11 wins and a playoff appearance in 2023. That success may have created a sense that it was automatically going to happen again."Don't take things for granted. It's never going to be easy," Garrett said of a lesson learned. "No matter what position you play, what your record is, what your record was, any given Sunday both teams have a chance, so you've got to come out and be that same player every time you step foot on the field. You can't have a slow step, you can't forget your assignment, all those things that feel like minute details or just one bad step that could lead to a big play, a touchdown, whatever it is, that's how those things accumulate and you end up where we were at last year."Deshaun Watson, Mike Hall Jr., David Bell start camp on injured listsCoach Kevin Stefanski has told players to expect a more strenuous camp and stressed the need to hit the ground running. That's especially true given the difficult six-game stretch to start the regular season — Bengals, at Ravens, Packers, at Lions, vs. Vikings in London, at Steelers."We've talked about intensity, we've talked about energy, we've talked about we got to start fast and we got to keep building up," Bitonio said. "We have a couple of joint practices. Those always bring up the intensity. I think we're going to have a high-intensity, physical training camp."The Browns will practice against the Panthers for a day before the preseason opener Aug. 8 in Charlotte, then against the Eagles for two days the following week before their preseason matchup in Philadelphia.Bitonio, 33, decided to return for a 12th season after considering retirement. He believes the team can rebound and again be a contender."I'm personally forever optimistic," he said. "That's just how I've been my whole life. I think honestly, truly, every NFL team goes into training camp knowing they have a chance. We have a majority of our team back from two years ago when we went 11-6 and made the playoffs and made a run. We do know we have to play better and we have to improve and do some things right. I think the mentality of the team and the work we're going to try and do gives us that optimism."The post Myles Garrett sets expectations high on Day 1: Super Bowl and another DPOY first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.