GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have seen firsthand in the last two games how a generational pass rusher frustrates opposing offenses.
Now they must limit one on Sunday in Cleveland, perhaps without their best offensive lineman, right tackle Zach Tom.
The Browns’ Myles Garrett and Green Bay’s Micah Parsons might be the NFL’s two best defensive players of the past five years. Just as teams have devoted more resources to Parsons through slides, chips, double teams and triple teams, the Packers would be wise to block Garrett similarly.
“He’s a game-wrecker,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said. “You’ve got to be really intentional about what you’re trying to get done because if you have a bad matchup, forget about it. This guy can make it ugly in a hurry, so you’ve got to be really conscious of where he is aligning, first of all, but also what you’re asking your guys to do.”
Garrett, 29, was the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and is a four-time first-team All-Pro, two-time second-team All-Pro and the third-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL behind Parsons and the Steelers’ T.J. Watt. Through two games this season, Garrett is tied for the league lead with 3.5 sacks and leads the NFL with six tackles for loss.
Micah Parsons was a full participant today and is off the injury report. pic.twitter.com/Cd9bpJFSw4
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 17, 2025
According to Pro Football Focus, Garrett has lined up across from the left tackle 72 times this season and across from the right tackle only 10 times. Last season, Garrett lined up across from the left tackle 670 times and the right tackle only 135 times. In other words, the majority of his matchups are likely to come against Packers regular starting left tackle Rasheed Walker, though the Browns can flip him to face Green Bay’s right tackle, too. That will likely be second-round rookie backup Anthony Belton manning quarterback Jordan Love’s strong side, a matchup the Browns might try to exploit more than they normally do with Garrett at left defensive end.
Tom, who received the third-most All-Pro votes at right tackle last season and became the third-highest-paid player at the position this offseason, is nursing an injury he suffered in Week 1. On Lions safety Brian Branch’s negated pick-six, edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson leveled Love, and Tom landed awkwardly trying to jump over Love’s flying body. Tom suffered a torn oblique, he said, but not to the point where it needed surgery.
Tom returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday after missing last Thursday’s game against the Commanders. He said afterward that he felt “good” physically, but he didn’t sound overly optimistic about his status for Sunday’s game after declining to divulge specifics about his chances to face the Browns.
“It’s kinda hard to run,” Tom said. “That’s the main thing. I feel like moving side to side, I’m good, but anything that involves me trying to get out and open up, that’s kinda where I can feel it a little bit. We’ve just got to work through it.”
Belton played 51 snaps to veteran Darian Kinnard’s 17 at right tackle against the Commanders and surrendered no pressures in 28 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF. He committed a costly holding penalty that wiped out what would’ve been a 39-yard touchdown connection between Love and wide receiver Jayden Reed on the opening drive.
Outside of that play, the team came away impressed with the rookie. Is he ready and able to block Garrett, or at least help in doing so if the Packers support him with a tight end chip or double team? They’ll find out soon enough.
“I was pleasantly surprised, not just how well he played, but just everything, his effort, his intensity, his detail,” offensive line coach Luke Butkus said of Belton, who’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds. “He had a few things to clean up — we all do, every game, every play, every practice — but he was locked in, ready to play and it wasn’t too big for him.”
Added Tom: “I think he has the potential to be obviously a really good player. I think he did some good things on tape on Thursday. He showed that’s kind of like the tip of the iceberg. He has good feet, good hands. He has some things he needs to clean up, but yeah, I mean, I think you can see it on the film. His set looks clean. He’s good in the run game. I’m really excited for him.”
Zach Tom and Aaron Banks both practicing after missing last game pic.twitter.com/NPyS46SYoL
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 17, 2025
Though the right edge of Green Bay’s offensive line is the bigger question entering Sunday’s game, LaFleur emphasized the importance of the matchup between Walker and Garrett, given where the latter typically aligns. LaFleur said Wednesday that Walker has done an “outstanding job” this season after beating out Jordan Morgan for the blind-side job in camp, and it’ll help Walker that starting left guard Aaron Banks said Wednesday that he’s playing on Sunday after missing last week’s game with groin and ankle injuries.
Walker was asked about preparing to face Garrett and kept his answer succinct.
“Practice how you play,” he said. “Practice preparation turns into game reality.”
Walker added: “It’s not really about nobody else. It’s just always about me. Out on the edge, I feel like I have the ability to dictate the rush and to dictate what’s going on, so that’s why I said it’s a faceless opponent, and then we just going to go out there and play football. Follow our rules and everything should be fine.”
Love must be cognizant, too, of exactly where Garrett lines up on every snap and how many players are blocking him because those things could dictate Love’s post-snap progressions and release time. Preventing Garrett from taking over Sunday’s game will require the attention of far more than just one offensive lineman, and how the Packers navigate such a challenge might dictate whether what should be a convincing Packers win turns into a nailbiter or even a Browns upset.
“He’s one of the best in the game,” Love said. “You’ve always got to know where he’s at, what side he’s lining up on and just be aware and, obviously, try and get as many hands on him as possible. He’s a stud. He’s one of those guys that can wreck a game for an offense, so definitely always got to know where he’s at.”
(Photo: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
