What are the Needs on the Browns Defense?
The Cleveland Browns are currently interviewing defensive coordinator candidates, but regardless of who gets the job, the needs and decisions on that side of the ball remain the same. There are five decisions that will need to be addressed over the course of the offseason.
The first is obviously the defensive line. The Browns have one starter. Myles Garrett. They will need to add two interior defensive lineman and another edge rusher. The choice of defensive coordinator will shape the types of players the team targets, but the number will not change.
The other aspect that is a minor concern is whether the Browns utilize an even or odd front. 15 or 20 years ago, this would make for a big decision. Out of necessity defensive coaches have gotten so much better at being able to adapt personnel to fit what they need to do because they can't wait two and three years just to get the personnel necessary for such a move. It simply doesn't mean the sea change it once did. Further, since so many teams think of nickel as their base look, often a 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 which end up looking similar, it's even less of an issue.
Should the Browns decide they want a truer 0 or a 4i, it might slightly alter things, but it's hardly earth shattering. As an example, Siaki Aki, a 358 pound nose tackle from Baylor, was someone that stood out for the Browns had they remained in the scheme Joe Woods employed, playing between the center and guard. Having him potentially play head up on the center is hardly a major adjustment. The fact that the Browns only have one true starter also makes such a shift relatively easy.
This will be the most important aspect of the offseason in terms of player acquisition. It held back the Browns for the past two seasons, hurting both the run defense as well as the pass rush. It could instantly improve the linebacker play and enhance a talented secondary.
The good news is the Browns will have depth. Alex Wright, Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas, should they take strides in their second year, could dramatically improve the rotation even if they aren't front line players.
The second need the Browns must address is MIKE linebacker. Now, the Browns could simply end up keeping one of the players they've had this past year, but everyone but Jacob Phillips is a free agent. And Phillips was dismal in the brief time he was on the field.
Not only will this depend on the coordinator, but health. Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki both suffered season-ending injuries. There's been no update on Walker though one would think he should be okay given that his injury occurred in week three.
Takitaki's only just had his surgery to repair his ACL, but hopes to be available by the time the season arrives, which could complicate the issue. He will miss the entire offseason in a new system. Yes, he can learn it, but it will be a challenge in terms of reps and may wipe out part of his 2023 season if not all of it as he works to get up to speed.
That shouldn't dissuade the Browns from keeping Takitaki if they value him. It just could further cloud their planning process for the starter at that position.
Deion Jones is not injured, but he's also a free agent.
It could simply end up resulting in the Browns keeping both Walker and Takitaki, but so much depends on what the new coordinator will want to do. This can also be a position where they want a player that has experience in their system to effectively make calls on the field.
The last position that will need to be addressed is free safety. The new defensive coordinator could be happy with John Johnson III, but that's certainly not a guarantee. Johnson has been wildly inconsistent as a deep safety, so if that is important to the new defense, it could be an issue.
The new coordinator may look at Johnson's talent and believe they can work with him, putting him in better position to succeed. That would certainly be the best case scenario as it would mean they don't have to go out and find another option.
If that proves to be the case, the Browns do need to address depth. The Browns did not have adequate depth at the safety position this past season. Fortunately, both Grant Delpit and Johnson stayed healthy, but their next man up was dropping Ronnie Harrison back. Not only is Harrison not a good fit for that, he's also a free agent unlikely to return. They need a truer deep safety that could step in and play the free if necessary.
This is another position where the new coach might want someone with experience in their scheme since they play such a large role in lining up the defense and making calls, adjustments based on what the opponent is doing. Nevertheless, it may be easier said than done. This is another reason why they might want to add depth, who can then potentially take over that role in 2024 if the team doesn't opt to re-sign Johnson.
If the Browns retain John Johnson III and re-sign Anthony Walker, their list of needs is just three players. Clearly, they will want to continue to improve the roster including the defensive side of the ball, but they the list of pressing issues would be far less dramatic.
Should they opt to go in a different direction at MIKE linebacker and free safety, the Browns will have their work cut out for them in free agency. It can be done and has been done in the past, but that will be where the bulk of the attention is paid this offseason. The combination of an improved defense and what the Browns hope is better coaching on that side of the ball, it could make a dramatic improvement to the team's chances heading into 2023.
