Cleveland Browns' Defensive Strength Amid Roster Changes
Despite trading Myles Garrett, the Cleveland Browns' front seven remains strong. With rookies stepping up and a tight strategy, their defense might surprise.
Video Transcript
I was going back and forth, Tom, trying to figure out, 'cause the Browns are another one of those just terrible teams and, you know, it shouldn't shock anybody when you send away a Hall of Famer named Myles Garrett, to, out west.
But I will say this, looking over the roster and some of what they have, like the front seven of the Browns is gonna- Mm-hmm even without Myles Garrett, is going to be much better than people realize.
They got first rounder Mason Graham, Malik Collins there, Jared Verse, don't forget, came in that trade.
Alex Wright went down.
I think he blew his Achilles out, but, Derek Barnett.
I, I mean, you go, down, they got linebackers galore.
Secondary's not great, but that front seven is really good.
The problem is that quarterback.
Is it their own worst quarterback room in the NFL, Tom, than what the Browns- have here in that room?
I, I'm It's close with the Jets, but I, I think, I think the Browns get it done here.
They, they, they probably do, and it's gonna have to come down to that defense, like you said, with their front seven.
Carson Wentz is also in the mix there.
It's gonna come down to- Yes can they insulate Deshaun Watson from making mistakes?
Can they put him in spots to dink and dunk, pick up easy first downs?
You know, they got some, you know, rookie wide receivers that they wanna utilize.
Harold Fannin, the, the second year tight end was really a bit of a breakout.
Quinshon Judkins in the backfield.
Can they do just enough to not expose Watson to need to throw the ball downfield, to need to take seven-step drops and have the ball in his hands for three, four seconds?
Can they make it easy on them?
Because frankly, if the defense is good enough, you know, they're gon- they could cover more games.
I'm not gonna say that they're gonna win a ton of games, but if they could be in just one or two more games, they may be a sneaky team you could look to back here or there because frankly, Joe, I think the public perception of the Browns and Watson is so low that you could get inflated numbers.
You're getting nine and a halves out there, a 10.
You're like, "Okay, I'll take a shot on a double-digit game in, in the NFL."
I'll take them to cover a game.
They're not gonna win, but they can keep it somewhat close.
I, Tom, I'm with you.
I mean, I saw that five and a half win total, and I really wanted to pull the trigger on the under, but I keep looking at that defensive side of the ball and going, you know, they can get a couple of takeaways, and if Monken is as good a OC-minded guy- Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm we have seen, you know, we just saw Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl, folks.
So it's not out of the question that the right coach and a little bit of talent and just don't lose them a game.
I did see, too, this is the only team since 1970 to lose all five of their starting offensive linemen in the same season from a year ago.
They don't have anybody on the roster that was actually supposed to start last year.
And so this is much like college football, I guess, where they have- five brand-new offensive linemen here looking to protect them.
And to tell you the truth, given the injuries and the way they, what we saw last, that might not be a bad thing.
But I'm with you, man.
I, I don't know that I'd run to the window right away and bet under five and a half 'cause I think that defense is probably gonna keep them in more games than they should be in.
You know, that's a good point with the offensive linemen.
You know, in every, in college, everyone likes to refer to returning production year over year.
Mm-hmm.
And what is the returning production from, you know, w- you know, one year to the next?
We don't really talk, talk about that in the NFL 'cause most players are generally signed to contracts that it's like, "Oh, we have four of the five guys returning.
Like, we don't have to really think about this."
You know, eight of the 11 starters on defense return.
But it's a good point to, you know, note that offensive line changes can be- Yeah a, a huge thing.
Todd Monken is a great offensive mind, but really the, the five and a half win total is so tough because six wins is objectively not a good season.
Like, they do go over- Correct their win total, but them having six wins, if we see that at the end of December, beginning of January, no one's gonna be like, "Oh, wow, what a season by the Browns."
Like, no, they have six wins and double-digit losses.
They'll be a top 10 pick, and by all accounts it's a bad year for them, but it does set up for a really interesting, I don't wanna say race to the bottom, because between the Browns, the Jets, the Dolphins, and the Cardinals, we're looking at four teams that potentially need franchise quarterbacks, and the race to the number one pick with how good next year's quarterback class is supposed to be is gonna be very interesting come the end of December and the beginning of January.
