The Cleveland Browns defense revamp is just what the fans were hoping for. It was obvious that the offense was set in 2020 – every dollar and hour spent was worth it. Now defense needs some freshening up with free agents being signed and fortifying with the re-signing of their most reliable players.
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Fans Get Their Wish With Cleveland Browns Defense Revamp
The Browns are equipping themselves with the weapons they need. Prepare to see several different looks from the back end of their defense. 2020 wasn’t a year to see safeties shine. As Browns reporter John Gribble implied, Cleveland didn’t have a chance to deploy a full arsenal of safeties.
The signing of John Johnson III will change that. He is one of the best and most versatile strong safeties in the league. He’s the right guy to lead the way. Johnson certainly led on one of the NFL’S best defenses – the Los Angeles Rams finished the season ranked No. 1 in total defense and pass defense.
Cleveland holds value to strong safeties like Johnson. He can play center field, hit as good as the league’s best safeties, and he covers like a cornerback in the slot. Suffice it to say he is about to reach his prime, and he’ll do it as a Brown.
As Always, Versatility Wins
Stefanski is excited. “He can do a bunch of different things, that will allow us to expand our packages to see where he fits in. Versatility is a big part of where we want to be.” Defensive coordinator Joe Woods will appreciate Johnson’s versatility and it will be a huge plus to have Grant Delpit return from injury. Meanwhile, Ronnie Harrison will continue to step up as he did in 2020.
Keeping The Reliable Ones
The Browns knew one of their best tools to defend against opposing passing games, was Malcolm Smith. Keeping him another year is a smart thing. With the release of Adrian Clayborn, he will be the most veteran player on the defense. He is a relatively small linebacker but this enables him to be sleek and agile. He has performed well against opposing receivers, making him a valuable player to keep.
While Sione Takitaki and Jacob Phillips are effective as run defenders in the box, Smith works at a different level, taking away passing options. With Johnson and the rotation of three safeties, Smith is likely to be a middle linebacker in dime situations. In this scenario, there would be three safeties, three corners and Smith. The overall speed and coverage ability would buy time for the pass rush to get to the opposing quarterback.
Some Extra Notes on the Cleveland Browns Defense
Andrew Berry was expected to add a star defensive end to play opposite Myles Garrett. He signed Takk McKinley who might be the low-risk, high-reward edge rusher Cleveland needs. It’s easy to see the logic behind this move when head coach Kevin Stefanski explains. “We like his pass rush ability and the way he’s gotten after the QB throughout his young career. Defensive line was a position that we felt we wanted to address… we are excited to add Takk and the impactful tools he possesses to the group that will help make the plays we need along the line.”
Browns defense hasn’t been awful enough to worry about for the last few years. But now that offense is shining bright, it’s time to take defense to the next level.
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