The Cleveland Browns struggled to be consistent on defense in 2018, despite having young talent coached by a luminary defensive coordinator. They were third in the league for recovered turnovers, but the rest of the stats were ugly. With dramatic changes in staff and players, perhaps Browns defense can improve in 2019.
Cleveland Browns Defense Can Improve in 2019
The Browns were 21st in points allowed (392) and gave up 6,288 total yards (29th). They managed a measly 37 sacks, tied for 22nd in the league. “Even with Myles Garrett?” You ask. Yes, even with him.
Cleveland was solid against the run in 2017, giving up only 3.4 yards. It was understandably disappointing when they gave up 4.7 yards in 2018. That was a stark difference.
What Really Makes a Bad Defense?
Elliot Kennell of Dawn Pound Daily reminded us of the factors that make an underperforming defense: “(1) underestimating the value of players who were allowed to walk away from the team; (2) overestimating the value of the remaining players; and (3) the coaching staff may have mismatched the scheme to the talents of the players”.
Some Players Were Mistakenly Released
Reiterating those first two points, the Browns let go of some players, leaving fans perplexed. One such player, cornerback Jason McCourty, was traded to the New England Patriots in exchange for moving up a few spots in the seventh round of the draft. That has little value. However, McCourty has plenty, being ranked the sixth-best corner by PFF.
Danny Shelton was traded for a third-round pick. He made an effective early-down run-stopper. While the reasons for departure were not clear, we can only assume John Dorsey had a good reason for making these moves. As one of the best general managers in the business, his decisions are calculated and almost always pay off.
No Player on Defense Was Really That Bad
Fans were particularly bristling over the release of Carl Nassib, who most agreed was good enough to be a key reserve and eventually a starter. He was a reliable run defender, with 6.5 sacks in just nine games. These are Myles Garrett-type numbers.
Losing Shelton and Nassib was more damaging than some realize. If you look at the players who left the Cleveland defense, there isn’t a single one you can say was hurting the team. So who’s to blame? Most likely an assistant coach or former coach Hue Jackson, perhaps someone in the front office.
It’s Up to the Players Still There
Pro Football Focus ranked Garrett, Joe Schobert, and Denzel Ward as top 15 performers and Jabrill Peppers as top 20 in their positions. However, Damarious Randall was rated the 30th-best safety in the league.
Meanwhile, Phillip Gaines, Terrance Mitchell, and T.J. Carry were starting caliber, but only average. In the linebacker spot, the overpaid Jamie Collins was graded as below average. Christian Kirksey and Genard Avery were in the same boat.
Was Gregg Williams to Blame?
Gregg Williams is reputed to have a brilliant defensive mindset. Despite this though, there’s always a chance that a genius will have some bad days. Many of the plays he wanted to run didn’t work when they had just one pass-rushing threat in the form of Garrett. The atrocious rushing yard totals highlighted the glaring problems in the front seven.
There’s hope in new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who is a visionary like Williams. The difference will be in his propensity to play zone defense. He’ll use extra defensive backs and will utilize blitzes less. With the talent that’s now in Cleveland and the change in coaching personnel, we can expect improvement in the Browns defense.
