Berea, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – With all the hype and focus this offseason on the offense, pardon the Browns defense if they feel a little slighted.
They’re just as loaded.
Head coach Freddie Kitchens, who is offensively minded by trade, playfully chided reporters during spring workouts for spending the bulk of media availabilities pressing him on his offense, virtually ignoring the beefed-up D.
By adding a pair of Pro Bowlers to the defensive front this offseason, the Browns are poised to be as lethal taking down opposing quarterbacks as they’ve ever been.
Playing complimentary football will be the key to success or failure in 2019. A strong secondary buys more time for the defensive line to get after the quarterback and pressure on quarterbacks creates mistakes for the secondary to take advantage of.
Defense snapshot
Key additions: (DE) Olivier Vernon, (DT) Sheldon Richardson, (S) Morgan Burnett, (CB) Greedy Williams
Key losses: (S) Jabrill Peppers, (S) Derrick Kindred, (DE) Emmanuel Ogbah, (LB) Jamie Collins
Projected starters: DE Myles Garrett, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT Sheldon Richardson, DE Olivier Vernon, MLB Joe Schobert, WLB Christian Kirksey, CB Denzel Ward, SS Morgan Burnett, FS Damarious Randall, CB Greedy Williams, NB TJ Carrie
2019 Browns Training Camp preview: Special teams
When general manager John Dorsey took over as GM in Dec. 2017, the first need – aside from overall blue-chip talent – he sought to address was size and speed on the front and back end of the defense.
Last season the Browns ranked 30th in overall defense (yards per game allowed), 28th against the run and 25th against the pass.
Despite the improvement with creating turnovers a year ago – the Browns had 31 takeaways (14 fumble recoveries, 17 interceptions) – the unit was not a good tackling team, something Wilks has emphasized this offseason and will continue to do so during training camp.
Cleveland’s new front four of Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon combined for 30.5 sacks, 81 quarterback hits and 33 tackles for loss in 2018. The four have combined over their careers for 101.5 sacks, 154 QB hits, 155 tackles for loss, 18 forced fumbles, 13 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions.
Garrett and Vernon made their first Pro Bowls last year. Richardson in 2014. Genard Avery, who burst on the scene as a rookie edge rusher in 2018 with 4.5 sacks, 24 QB hits, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble, along with Chris Smith and Trevon Coley provide depth and a strong rotation up front.
2019 Browns Training Camp preview: Offense
While new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks plans to maintain the existing 4-3 base defensive alignment, the reality is it probably won’t be seen much but you will see a lot of 4-2-5.
Joe Schobert, who led the NFL in missed tackles last year, and Christian Kirksey return as starters at linebacker. Kirksey is healthy and Schobert enters the final year of his rookie contract. Both players are being counted on to raise their level of play and show they’re what Wilks needs and wants from the position. Wilks is seeking game-changing impact plays from both, who should benefit from a stronger line in front of them to help create opportunities to make those plays.
Draft picks Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are expected to be role players behind Kirksey and Schobert but will compete for playing time during camp with depth at the position relatively thin.
Damarious Randall comes into his second season in Cleveland motivated to prove a mega contract extension is overdue after watching safety after safety cash in this offseason. He’ll be paired with veteran Morgan Burnett, who replaces Jabrill Peppers – now with the Giants – at strong safety. 2019 fourth round pick Sheldrick Redwine and Jermaine Whitehead enter camp as the primary backups, but Whitehead spent a lot of time with the starters during the spring.
The Browns are hopeful that Greedy Williams, selected in the second round in April, will achieve the same level of success last year’s No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, did. Williams started slow and struggled in May but came on strong during the June minicamp. Veteran Terrance Mitchell will challenge the rookie for the starting job and playing time over the next few weeks. TJ Carrie should be set as the primary nickelback.
With only one or two starting jobs up for grabs, most of the competition on the defensive side of the ball in camp will be for playing time and a roster spot.
