Over the past few seasons, speculation and analysis around the Cleveland Browns centered primarily around their quarterback Baker Mayfield and superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. Cleveland fans and football savants will dive a little deeper and talk about their dangerous rushing offense, helmed by a similarly stellar pairing in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
However, what many forget when talking about the Browns' well-rounded offense is their increasingly scary roster on the other side of the ball. Leader Myles Garrett had a 2020 season plagued by a minor injury, yet the former number one pick still warranted a comfortable All-Pro nod, and the roster around him is quietly terrifying, and just got even scarier this past offseason. The team's biggest acquisition during free agency? Fellow former number one pick Jadeveon Clowney, who himself has been plagued by injuries that have hampered his attempts to live up to his draft stock.
With the signing of Clowney, the Browns are banking on hope that he can beat back his injury history and reclaim the explosion that made him one of the most feared young rushers just a few years ago. He still commands regular double teams, but with Myles Garrett manning the other edge, Clowney will have all the opportunities in the world to prove himself against single coverage.
This, among several factors, is why Garrett and Clowney will helm not just the best blitzing defense in the league, but a defense that can potentially topple the Chicago Bears' single-season sack record (72).
To reiterate: despite being the sole focus of most offensive line coaches and isolated nagging injuries, Myles Garrett has arguably been the best pass rusher in the NFL over the past few years. Clowney, meanwhile, has been miscast as a Myles Garrett type of talent, but he is still one of the biggest defensive names in the league for a reason. As a secondary rusher, he immediately becomes one of the best in the league at that position. It will be a weekly game of ‘Pick Your Poison' for opposing offenses between the two, which gets even more daunting with fellow newcomer Tak McKinley.
Browns Defense Will Be More Stout Than Last Year
Another factor influencing this much-improved defense was the Browns' signing of safety John Johnson III. If you're not familiar, Johnson is the former lynchpin and captain of the Los Angeles Rams defense, which was one of the scariest defenses in the league last season. Some numbers to put this signing into context: last year, the Rams' passing defense ranked 1st in passing yards allowed per game and second in allowed passer rating and completion percentage. Johnson led that attack. What does this give the Browns' rush and blitz?
One word: time. Not only is this defensive front now absurdly talented, but they have incredible support from a secondary captained by one of the smartest players in football. No receiving corps will be able to shake that coverage quick enough for opposing quarterbacks to quickly get the ball out.
As for rushing attacks, it's hard to believe that teams will be able to play that sort of game with Cleveland. Between Hunt and Chubb, the Browns' offense is a classic one, meant to eat clock and move the chains. If they build up a lead, teams will have to pass the ball to keep up. Good luck, quarterbacks.
Finally (speaking of quarterbacks), Cleveland will get to feast. Ben Roethlisberger is a lumbering, aging gunslinger with no mind for the game, and his line is average at best. Ditto for the Cincinnati Bengals, who will definitely shore up the line via the draft, but are still very vulnerable. Besides their in-conference opponents, the Browns are slated to play at least five teams with either shaky lines or immobile quarterbacks: the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Long story short, this defensive line and pass rush should be getting their bibs ready, because they're poised to feast on the league this year. Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney will lead the way.
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