Cleveland’s Path to Eternal Glory
What do the browns need to do to become Super bowl contenders?
After a beyond disappointing season led by Freddie Kitchens in 2019, the Browns seemed to finally figure it out in 2020 under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns finished with an 11–5 record (best since 1994) and narrowly missed an appearance to the AFC championship game. They went toe to toe with the defending Super bowl champions in the AFC divisional round, where they put up a battle for 4 quarters. They lost that game due to lack of defensive presence and conservative play call. So what should the Cleveland Browns do this off season to become top dawgs?
Pair another solid/semi-elite pass rusher with Myles Garrett
This offseason is flooded with pass rush talent with guys like Matt Judon and Shaquill Barrett becoming free agents. The hopes of signing JJ Watt have gone out of the window for Browns fans with his signing to Arizona. But this was a blessing in disguise for Cleveland. Instead of paying around 23 million dollars guaranteed for Watt, Cleveland will look in the direction of a player that is in the more team friendly 7–10 million dollar range. There is some serious talent on the rise for that price.
Carl Lawson is the top of my list for free agents to pick up. Lawson has not had the most eye opening stats out there, but he is on his way to becoming an under the radar star. He may not rack up a lot of sacks, but his pass rush win rate is one of the highest in the entire league, with it being at an astonishing 20.1% in his first couple years. He also was top 5 in QB hits this previous season. If you pair Lawson alongside Myles Garrett, it will only increase Lawson’s pass rush win rate. He would no longer be the number one concern for opposing offenses on the defensive line, like he was in Cincinnati.
Romeo Okwara is another target I think would greatly benefit Cleveland. Another player that doesn’t have a huge name, yet has a huge presence. The former Detroit Lion exploded onto the scene last year after a lackluster start to his career. This previous season he racked up an impressive 10 sacks and 61 QB pressures, which put him 5th in the entire league for edge rushers. He would likely be a little more expensive than Lawson, but will still be in a team friendly price range. With constant pressure on both sides, opposing QB’s would be in for a clinic if they had to play the duo of Garrett and Okwara.
Honorable mentions: Bud Dupree, Trey Hendrickson, Matt Judon
Bolster the Linebacker Position
Last season the Browns linebacking core simply under preformed. Players like Mack Wilson were supposed to take over a larger role with the departure of Joe Shobert, but he did not play up to his potential. Bj Goodson was one of the bright spots for the linebacking core. He was able to fill the important “QB” of the defense role. His veteran presence and football IQ has helped him become a leader of this young defense, but he can’t do it alone.
Cleveland struggled to contain tight ends, stop the run, and win the tackling battle. The recipe to fix that? Sign Matt Milano. This 26 year old linebacker has a knack for flying around the field. He is a player worth paying a decent chunk of money for. His age combined with freakish athleticism is exactly what this team needs.
If signing a free agent linebacker does not work out, Cleveland needs to draft one in the first round. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoa is exactly the player this linebacking core needs. Owusu-Koramoa is a rocket. There is not a more explosive, high energy linebacker in this draft. Owusu-Koramoa may be on the smaller side for a linebacker, but he plays like a heat seeking missile. His versatility cannot go unnoticed either. His ability to play that linebacker/safety hybrid (Similar to Isaiah Simmons’ time at LSU) greatly improves his NFL value. His ability to cover, paired alongside his eagerness to hit you as hard as he can makes him the perfect fit for the Browns. Get this man, even if it means trading up a few picks.
Go all out for Shelby Harris
With Larry Ogunjobi likely leaving to free agency, Cleveland will have a huge gap in the defensive tackle position. That hole needs to be filled with Shelby Harris.
Harris has been one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL over the last couple years. Harris earned himself a very impressive 88.3 overall player grade by PFF in 2020. But my favorite part about Harris’ game is his ability to swat the ball at the line of scrimmage. A defensive tackle that has 23 passes defended is just unheard of. Harris has out played his name the last 3 years by miles. He is not a player that will get you huge numbers from the DT position, but his impact is immeasurable. His pure strength and size is great for plowing back opposing centers and opening pass rush lanes. Harris is also much better at stopping the run compared to Ogunjobi. Harris has earned a 76.1 run defensive grade while Ogunjobi only has a grade of 53.9. There is not a better person to replace Ogunjobi than Harris.
Cleveland is in the top half of the league in their salary cap situation, so they don’t have to be too stingy with money. Cleveland’s offense is only getting better with Baker Mayfield coming into his own, and the unstoppable duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. But the defense is what’s holding back. If Cleveland wants to go to the next level, Andrew Berry must drop the bank on the defensive side of the ball.
(All statistics were found at https://www.pff.com/)
