Myles Garrett 'looking forward' to seeing Browns rookie Dawand Jones against T.J. Watt

BEREA — There are few things on a football field Myles Garrett understands better than rushing the quarterback. It's something the Browns All-Pro defensive end is quite good at doing.

So if anyone can understand the challenges rookie right tackle Dawand Jones is facing on Monday night when he has go to Pittsburgh and try to block Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt, it would be Garrett. Not because he's had to block Watt, but because they share that pass-rushing DNA.

Two days before Jones finds himself locked in a prime-time showdown with the former Defensive Player of the Year, the Browns' own Defensive Player of the Year candidate was asked if his teammate had tried to pick his brain about what to expect from Watt.

"I mean, I haven't told him anything about T.J.," Garrett said Saturday. "That's a thing for him to watch film. If you wants to know anything, I'll tell him because we all watch rushers all across the league. So whether that's (Steelers outside linebacker Alex) Highsmith or T.J. any other rushers. … But he's looking forward to the opportunity and we're all looking forward to what he wants to do on that Monday night."

Jones finds himself with the daunting task in his first NFL start because of a season-ending knee injury to Jack Conklin. That's left the former Ohio State standout as the latest young right tackle the Browns have had to start in Pittsburgh, joining James Hudson III, who started the previous two trips there.

While Garrett hasn't necessarily spoken to Jones about the challenge, the big tackle has spoken to another defensive teammates, Za'Darius Smith. Part of that is because of alignment, with Garrett a more natural rusher from the right side of the defensive line — opposite the left tackle — while Smith works much more from the left side.

That said, Garrett has liked what he has seen from his massive rookie teammate since he arrived in May.

"I mean, he's finding what works best for him," Garrett said. "In this system they're telling you where to go and what to do, but it's always a matter of what your body allows and what kind of style and what you do. And he's finding the best way to perform his job at the highest level and he's looking good."

Looking good is something both Garrett and Watt have been since coming into the league together as first-round picks in 2017. The former was taken by the Browns No. 1 overall, while the Steelers selected the latter No. 30 overall, one pick after Cleveland took David Njoku.

When healthy and on the field, there haven't been too many edge rushers better than Garrett and Watt since they arrived. The statistics bear it out, with Watt first in the league with 80.5 sacks since 2017, while Garrett is tied with the Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald for second with 75.5 sacks.

Watt, who was the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, has played in 88 career regular-season games, three more than Garrett's 85 games. The per-game sack averages are also close, with the Steelers star at 0.91 compared to 0.89 for the Browns star.

"T.J. finds a way to win," Garrett said. "He's a dog. He always has those second-effort plays. He can win inside, outside. He's strong, he's fast.

"I mean, he doesn't look as strong as he is, but the way he long-arms guys or the way he finds a way to fight through a double or single, it's really impressive and I have a lot of respect for his game and him. So I always look forward to doing my best out there at Pittsburgh, and it's just fun knowing that on the other end I have someone who's of a similar caliber trying to do their best as well."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett anxious to see rookie Dawand Jones against T.J. Watt