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Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates his sack with Denzel Ward #21

While the overriding storyline of the Cleveland Browns OTA workouts this week–the first of the offseason for the team–has been the quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, the secondary storyline might, in the end, prove to be most important. That’s the one in which star defensive end Myles Garrett has declined to show up for the workouts. Certainly, that is his right, because the workouts are voluntary and he did not attend last year, either.  But there should be some concern about whether his absence signals some dissatisfaction with the direction the team took this offseason, and that goes beyond Garrett.

According to reports, two other no-shows at OTAs are two prime Browns defensive stars: defensive backs Grant Delpit and Denzel Ward. Again, the workouts are voluntary, so there is no immediate concern about their absences.

But the fact is that three prominent defenders are not at OTAs months after the Browns hired new coach Todd Monken. In doing so, the Browns angered popular former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the point that Schwartz walked out on the remainder of his contract to be Browns defensive coordinator. And we’ve heard precious little from the Browns’ defensive anchors since.

Browns Split With Jim Schwartz This Offseason

Schwartz was replaced by Mike Rutenberg, and the hope at the Browns facility in Barea is that players will take to Rutenberg the way they did to Schwartz. But we have no evidence they will do so, and the opportunity to get started under Rutenberg’s defense at OTAs is already being missed by three of the Browns’ top players.

Cleveland’s defense is its anchor. Certainly, the Browns want their best players on that side of the ball to be engaged. So far, they’re not, and we don’t know for sure whether it’s just veteran players skipping offseason workouts or whether it is a wider statement about players unhappy with the treatment and loss of Schwartz.

We won’t know that until we hear from those players. But that’s not happening any time soon.

Newly Signed LB: ‘That’s the Crazy Thing About OTAs’

New Browns linebacker Quincy Williams, who credits Rutenberg’s coaching while both were with the Jets for his development, chalked it up to the nature of OTAs in the NFL. The outspoken Williams is seen as Rutenberg’s eyes on the field, and added that the players in place are taking a very specific approach to the current work, no matter whom else is around.

Williams told reporters after OTA practice on Wednesday: “That’s the crazy thing about OTAs because you don’t have everybody. But the big thing is we’re also in a new scheme, though. So you’re playing with people that are starting to get their confidence and with people who already have their confidence.

“So, you don’t really know—we’re not really trying to win tomorrow, but we are coming with the mindset that if we were to play tomorrow, we handing out ass-whoopings because we all have a lot of thoughts.”