The Browns entered this offseason with several questions along the defensive front.
Last year, the Browns managed 43 sacks, the ninth-best in pro football.
But regular contributors in Jadaveon Clowney and Takk McKinley were both headed for free agency.
Fortunately, the ship steadied a bit, with Clowney returning to Cleveland and the team spending some draft picks to beef up the defensive line.
So how does Pro Football Focus feel about the Browns’ defensive line heading into 2022?
Plain Jane
In short: meh.
PFF slotted the Browns’ defensive front at 20, wedged between the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys:
“The Browns are in a similar boat to Las Vegas. Myles Garrett has firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass-rushers, earning PFF pass-rushing grades above 90.0 in each of the last three seasons. The Jadeveon Clowney re-signing was a necessary move for the Browns, both for the disruption he causes in the passing game and his ability to defend the run at a high level.
Cleveland will be lucky to sniff close to the same level of play on their interior, as its defensive tackles collectively earned the fifth-lowest grade of any group in the league last season. The Browns did add Perrion Winfrey in the draft, but he doesn’t profile as the interior run stuffer that this roster needs.”
In terms of tier-positioning, the Browns came in under the fourth tier, titled “Great Edge Duo, Weak Interior.”
It’s not an unfair characterization.
Last year, edge rushers Clowney and Myles Garrett accounted for 25 of Cleveland’s 43 sacks.
And while that number was top-nine, some of the other defensive line stats were floundering.
Most SACKS in the #NFL since 2018:
1. T.J. Watt – 65.0
2. Aaron Donald – 59.0
3. Myles Garrett – 51.5
4. Cameron Jordan – 47.5
5. Chandler Jones – 43.5
6. Chris Jones – 41.0
7. Shaquil Barrett – 40.5
8. Robert Quinn – 38.5
9. Khalil Mack – 36.0
10. DeForest Buckner – 36.0 pic.twitter.com/DXMjdk7EI8— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) July 1, 2022
For instance, the Browns managed 704 tackles on defense, tenth-worst in the NFL.
Even worse, only 123 of those tackles came from, well, tackles.
By contrast, Steelers tackle Cameron Heyward accounted for an impressive 89 tackles last season, while the team defensive managed a league-best 55 sacks.
Further, Heyward’s 89 tackles are more than twice what Cleveland’s projected starters Taven Bryan and Jordan Elliot combined for last season (41).
That highlights the problem underscored in PFF’s rankings: the defensive interior is not a run-stuffing, tackle-inducing unit.
Perhaps Perrion Winfrey takes a big step in his rookie season, giving a new dimension to the Browns front.
Otherwise, it might be a long season, as Cleveland will face strong running backs in Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Joe Mixon.
Bright Side
Here’s the silver lining: the Browns’ defensive line may not have to be great.
Even if the Browns are simply average, they’ll have plenty of chances to rack up substantial numbers.
Meanwhile Myles Garrett… pic.twitter.com/j3chIFPQAX
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) July 6, 2022
That’s because the Browns’ schedule is a who’s-who of terrible offensive lines, according to PFF.
Cleveland plays Pittsburgh (no. 30) twice, in addition to the Falcons (no. 28), Panthers (no. 25), Dolphins (no. 23), Texans (no. 22), Saints (no. 21), and Bills (no. 20).
That’s eight games against offensive lines rated as good as or worse than the Browns’ D-Line.
With a schedule like that, guys like Myles Garrett and Jadaveon Clowney will have every opportunity to shine.
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