The Cleveland Browns have overhauled their defense in the vision of new coordinator Jim Schwartz. The team will feature at least two – possibly three – new starters on the defensive line. Two new safeties were added to augment arguably the league’s most talented core of cornerbacks. But the Browns linebackers? Essentially, the team stood pat.
This was a bold decision, given what Cleveland went through last season. Four Browns linebackers had major injuries, and two major contributors still aren’t all the way healthy. That decision has already come back to bite the team in the butt, as linebacker Jacob Phillips has been placed on the injured reserve for the second consecutive season.
5 Potential New Browns Linebackers
To be fair to the Browns scouts: The free-agent linebacker list has been thin since the start. It gets worse when those free agents are fileted through the filter of what those who are already in the Browns linebacker room look like. The team wants young, speedy, and undersized, which are in short supply.
Non-Linebacker Options
Given the team’s talent in other areas, it’s likely that Schwartz will deploy his troops in other ways. For instance, the team went from paper-thin to super deep on the defensive line. Allowing DE Za’Darius Smith to rush from the two-point stance, for instance.
The team could also deploy a third safety. Juan Thornhill was a major signing for the team in 2023 to join Grant Delpit. Rodney Mcleod was also added for a strong veteran presence with experience in Schwartz’s defense. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to see all three on the field together.
Finally, the Browns will certainly see a lot of packages where their talented cornerbacks Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, and Martin Emerson Jr will play simultaneously. Any of these scenarios would reduce the Browns linebackers on the field to two or even one.
With that in mind, these are five potential options to bolster the Browns linebackers.
Kyle Van Noy
Kyle Van Noy is on the downside of a nine-year NFL career. However, he’s known as a strong pass-defender in the middle of the field, having swatted down ten passes for the New England Patriots in 2021. He’s also logged five sacks in each of his last four seasons. He played all 17 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, notching 46 tackles, five sacks, and two fumble recoveries. At 6-3 and 250 pounds, Van Noy is a bit larger than the typical Browns linebacker, his ability in second-level coverage and the pass rush should be highly prized by the Schwartz regime.
Joe Thomas
No, not THAT Joe Thomas. This particular Joe Thomas has played nine years in the NFL, mostly recently for the Chicago Bears. Last season in Chicago, Thomas logged nine starts, making 61 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, and logged a career-high in stuffs. Thomas is also a contributor on special teams, something that is valued under new special teams boss Bubba Ventrone.
Jayon Brown
Jayon Brown is a highly experienced linebacker with 430 tackles in his six-year NFL career. His best season came in 2018 with the Tennessee Titans, when he racked up 97 tackles, six sacks, six passes defended, and an interception. His 2019 was almost as good, with more tackles and eight passes defended. He signed a free-agent deal in Las Vegas in 2022 where he logged 45 tackles in eight games.
Joe Jones
Jones has been a reserve since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017. Jones is highly athletic, logging a vertical leap of 35.5 inches and a 4.45 40-yard dash on his pro day. He’s played six seasons in the league, most recently with the Titans. In 2022, he played in 15 games, logging 18 tackles.
Jermaine Carter
Carter will be familiar with the Browns linebackers room, as he played with the team in 2022 after five seasons with the Carolina Panthers. In seven games, he managed eight solo tackles. Likely Schwartz has already rejected Carter, as the team opted not to resign him. Yet, he remains available, and the Browns have a clear-cut need.
Main Photo: Robert Hanashiro – USA Today Sports
