Myles Garrett earned his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2023 season.
As usual, there were those who felt the Cleveland Browns edge rusher didn’t deserve such honors.
Most of their arguments involved statistical comparisons, some more credible than others.
If there is one analytics group that looks past stats in favor of effect, it is Pro Football Focus.
And PFF recently declared Myles Garrett the best edge rusher of 2023 in a Twitter post.
The highest-graded edge defenders from the entire 2023 season pic.twitter.com/pJhRF5KAJY
— PFF (@PFF) February 15, 2024
Using their unique algorithm of speed, win rates, and more, PFF awarded Garrett a score of 93.9 for the year.
That was a solid 1.4 points higher than runner-up Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys.
Every player in PFF’s top 10 scored better than 90 points, considered exceptional on their scale.
Parsons was one of two players to play opposite another exceptional edge rusher, Demarcus Lawrence (91.2).
Fifth-ranked T.J. Watt (91.9) and Alex Highsmith (90.2) of Pittsburgh are the other teammates among the top 10.
One of the arguments against Garrett’s DPOTY award was the notion that he faded badly as the year wound down.
Garrett managed only one sack over the Browns’ final six games, going five straight without one.
But his weekly PFF scores noted his consistent quarterback rush counts and redirections, even against double teams.
ESPN validates Garrett’s performance with their pass rush and run-stop win rates.
Garrett is one of only three players, along with Will Anderson Jr. and Bradley Chubb, with top-10 rankings in each.
Cleveland’s defensive captain is a fifth-time All-Pro and also participated in his fifth Pro Bowl.
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