Browns need Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith to mimic Cavs' Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland

BEREA — Browns Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett is a basketball enthusiast and a Cavaliers fan, so he must be well aware of the bond forged by star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.

It's the perfect example for Garrett and new running mate Za'Darius Smith to emulate as Cleveland's top pass-rushing duo.

Meshing well with Garrett can be difficult for other D-ends who possess star power. Issues sometimes arise because most edge rushers have a preference about where they line up.

It happened last season when Jadeveon Clowney essentially blew up his relationship with the Browns by clashing with the coaching staff over how he and Garrett were deployed Oct. 23 in a 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Clowney boycotted first and second down, former Browns D-line coach Chris Kiffin said in January, because he grew frustrated with his recurring matchups against Ravens standout left tackle Ronnie Stanley while Garrett found himself in what Clowney perceived as advantageous situations.

Earlier in Garrett's career, he received fewer snaps at right defensive end than he would have liked because ex-Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods also considered it the natural position of former Cleveland edge rusher Olivier Vernon, who spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Northeast Ohio.

Nothing boiled over publicly like it did with Clowney, though. And even Clowney had a positive working relationship with Garrett in 2021, their first season together.

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The point is these partnerships often require attention and maintenance behind the scenes because competitive nature and egos are involved. Jealousy can cause friction.

Just ask new Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz about the importance of the relationships between elite D-linemen.

“We're not just out here blocking and tackling and getting off blocks and doing technique,” Schwartz said Tuesday before the Browns' ninth practice of training camp and the first open to fans at club headquarters. “We're also building a team, and the synergy between players, their responsibility to each other, we're training that as well.

“A lot of people can overlook that when you go to training camp because it becomes all about the scheme or all about the pads. There's a human dynamic to this, and we need to find a way over this next month or so that the sum is greater than our individual parts. If we do that, then we'll have done our job.”

Enter Mitchell and Garland as a blueprint from another sport.

After becoming an All-Star point guard in the 2021-22 season, Garland could have pouted about the September arrival of Mitchell in a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz. Instead, Garland adopted a selfless approach and welcomed Mitchell, who was named an All-Star shooting guard and second-team All-NBA selection this past season.

The Cavs raved about Garland's attitude. He was named one of 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award and one of six finalists for the NBA Sportsmanship Award. He finished ninth in voting for the teammate award and third for the sportsmanship honor.

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As far as Mitchell is concerned, he did his part to develop chemistry with Garland. Mitchell sought to support Garland rather than acting as if he should get out of the way.

“You give both of them credit for that because [Garland] had to accept Donovan, and Donovan had to accept him,” Cavs legend and longtime team broadcaster Austin Carr said by phone. “They had to learn how to do it together.

“It was a smooth fit because both of those guys' personalities lent itself to it. Nobody's ego was larger than the team, and that was so important.”

The Cavs collapsed in the NBA playoffs, falling 4-1 in the first round to the New York Knicks.

Yet, the connection between Mitchell and Garland proved to be crucial to the Cavs reaching the postseason. Their willingness to foster cooperation helped Cleveland win 51 regular-season games and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Garrett, 27, and Smith, 30, realize how they could benefit from each other's talent. They're two of the five players who have recorded at least 10 sacks in three of the past four NFL seasons. Garrett is a four-time Pro Bowl and two-time first-team All-Pro selection. Smith has received three Pro Bowl nods.

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Garrett should be thrilled Browns General Manager Andrew Berry hammered out a trade in March with close friend and Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to acquire Smith, who's under contract for one season at $10.5 million guaranteed. The deal included a swap of late-round draft picks.

Garrett tied a career high with 16 sacks last season, but the next best sack total from a Browns player was three by former Cleveland defensive tackle Taven Bryan. Clowney missed five games and finished with two sacks a year after reviving his career with nine sacks in 14 games.

Smith's knack for rushing from the interior of the D-line might alleviate some of the tension Garrett has experienced with teammates in the past.

In 11-on-11 sessions Tuesday, Smith lined up at tackle alongside free-agent acquisition and former Vikings teammate Dalvin Tomlinson and later at left end. When Smith was at D-tackle, free-agent pickup Ogbo Okoronkwo worked at left end. Garrett stayed at right end throughout those team periods.

Late in practice, Smith appeared to sprain his left ankle and had it checked on the sideline by an athletic trainer. The good news for the Browns is Smith and Garrett still have plenty of time to get on the same page with each other and their linemates before the Sept. 10 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Cleveland's lakefront.

This matters.

“When you talk about the D-line, you talk about the group,” Schwartz said. “It's a little bit like an offensive line. It's not an individual position. One guy might flush the quarterback [out of the pocket]. Another guy makes the sack. One guy might execute a game perfectly to free up another guy. It's a group. It's the mentality of all for one, one for all.”

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Something can look good on paper without translating to the field, and the Browns ought to be able to attest as much as any team in recent years.

There's no doubt Garrett and Smith have the requisite skill sets to become a special tandem.

However, training camp is the honeymoon phase for them. When the upcoming season unfolds, adversity will inevitably hit. They won't need to look beyond the Cleveland sports scene to find an example for how to proceed together.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith should copy Cavs duo