Cleveland Browns Defense / Special Teams Overview

Defensive Line

LE: Corey Williams
NT: Shaun Rogers
RE: Robaire Smith

Key Reserve: Shaun Smith

• The Browns had a very active offseason, adding two new starters to the defensive line. This was considered a priority, as the Browns finished 27th against the run, 24th against the pass, and finished with only 28 sacks (for 26th best in the NFL). Corey Williams, acquired from the Packers for the Browns 2nd round draft pick this past season, is a very versatile lineman who's slated to start the season at left end. Williams (who was given a 6 year extension worth around $37 million) has accumulated 7 sacks in each of his past 2 seasons as a defensive tackle for the Packers. Allowing Williams to attack from the end position will help add to those numbers. At the other end is Robaire Smith, the lone starter from last year's line. R. Smith accumulated 56 total tackles and 4 sacks.
  

• To acquire Shaun Rogers, the Browns had to trade fan favorite Leigh Bodden and a 3rd round pick to the Lions. Rogers has all the talent needed to be a success in the NFL, however, questions have been raised about his work ethic in Detroit. By trading for Rogers and extending his contract (6 years and $42 million), the Browns are hoping that he's able to re-establish himself as the anchor of the Browns line. The mammoth nose tackle gives us a solid presence at a position where the Browns have been very weak in the past. Shaun Smith will act as a super-sub coming off of the bench. S. Smith had 62 tackles for the Browns last season after being signed from the division rival Bengals. There is little depth, however, behind S. Smith. If this line stays healthy and Rogers is able to play like he has the ability to, the Browns defense will be much improved.
  

Linebackers

LOLB: Willie McGinest
LILB: Andra Davis
RILB: D'Qwell Jackson
ROLB: Kamerion Wimbley

Key Reserves: Leon Williams, Beau Bell, Antwan Peek

• Despite not adding any new starters to the linebackers corp, an improved defensive line is expected to clear holes for the linebackers to perform. Kamerion Wimbley, who had 11 sacks in his rookie year but only 5 last year, is expected to bounce back by the added help up front. Wimbley's pass rush is his strength and he won't be facing as many double teams as he was accustomed to last season. Opposite of Wimbley is Willie McGinest, who's best days in the NFL are behind him. McGinest is expected to retire after the season and anything more than his 30 tackles and 3 sacks will be seen as a successful season. He was plagued by injuries, however, he still plays a giant role from a leadership standpoint. His experiences with the Patriots have allowed him to become a team leader and he will be instrumental in helping us develop our younger players. Beau Bell, our 1st pick in this year's draft in the 4th round, is a skilled player out of UNLV who is expected to make an immediate impact. He had 323 tackles and 10.5 sacks in college.

• In his 2nd NFL season, D'Qwell Jackson has developed to become one of the more consistent players on the Browns defense. After accounting for for 93 tackles in his rookie campaign, he accumulated 101 tackles last season. The only knock on Jackson is that he hasn't made any big plays, accounting for only 1 sack and 1 turnover in 2 seasons. Andra Davis, who had 149 tackles in 2005 when the Browns were running the 4-3, has struggled in transition to the 3-4. Davis had only 67 tackles last season, and is being pushed for his starter's position by both Leon Williams and Beau Bell. Leon Williams, a steal in the 4th round out of Miami, Fl., is expected to be a staple in the Browns future for years to come. However, he is being brought along slowly, and despite an 85 tackle, 4 sack campaign last year, he is expected to come off the bench. I expect Williams to be starting alongside Jackson very soon, as he's just too talented to not play. Sadly, it appears that Davis' days as a Brown may be numbered

Defensive Backfield

Cornerback

1. Eric Wright
2. Brandon McDonald
3. Terry Cousin
4. A.J. Davis

• Cornerback is a position that worries most Browns fans, however, General Manager Phil Savage believes that this position is a lot stronger than most believe. Only time will tell. The starters, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, combined to have 15 starts (13 from Wright) in their rookie campaigns. Wright was often burned but was able to put together a solid season was 71 solo tackles and 11 pass deflections. McDonald showed flashes of breaking out throughout the season with acrobatic interceptions (2) and pass deflections (10). The belief is that our improved pass rush will take pressure off of both corners, however, playing in the AFC and going against Hines Ward, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Derrick Mason has me frightful over the chances of success from the corner situation. Getting to the quarterback will basically make or break the Browns defense this season
• Unfortunately, there isn't much depth at the position. Terry Cousin, who added from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the offseason, is expected to play nickel back on 3rd down. Cousin adds experience, as youth is abundant. A.J. Davis and Jereme Perry are likely candidates to fill out the position behind Cousin, and it is very possible to see Brodney Pool filling in when needed.
  

Safety

SS: Sean Jones
FS: Brodney Pool

Key Reserves: Mike Adams, Gary Baxter

• Simply put, Sean Jones is far and away the best player on this defense. Jones accumulated 96 tackles from the safety position, as his presence against the run is his strength. Despite being strong against the run, he is almost equally as strong against the pass, as he's intercepted 5 passes in consecutive years. Jones is a playmaker and many were surprised he didn't receive a Pro Bowl nomination last year. Jones will need to repeat last season's success in order to give us a shot at the Playoffs. Brodney Pool, a former 2nd round pick out of Oklahoma, is considered another strength in the defensive backfield, and as mentioned before, his versatility will likely be used throughout the season. Despite starting at free safety, it will be likely to see Mike Adams playing significant safety time as Pool is moved over to corner. Pool started all 16 games last season and had 58 tackles

• Gary Baxter, recovering from knee surgeries on both knees, will hopefully play this season. After injuring himself in 2006, Baxter missed all of 2007, yet he was back on the field at safety in OTAs this offseason. Baxter was once an elite corner for the Baltimore Ravens and Browns, however, his knees will likely limit him to become a safety. Any production out of Baxter will be seen as a major plus this season.

Special Teams

Kicker: Phil Dawson
Punter: Dave Zastudil
Kick and Punt Returner: Joshua Cribbs
Long Snapper: Ryan Pontbriand

• One of the Browns strong points as a team is special teams. Pro Bowl kick and punt returner Josh Cribbs averaged 30.7 yards per kick return, busting 2 of his 59 returns for TDs. Cribbs is equally as dangerous as a punt returner, averaging 13.5 yards per return, bringing 1 back for a TD. Cribbs not only succeeded in putting points on the board himself, he set up the Browns in great scoring position multiple times and was within a few yards of another TD. Zastudil, a native of Bay Village who was signed in 2006 from the Ravens, suffered through a back injury last season and was only able to appear in 12 games, with a 41.8 yards per punt average. Phil Dawson was 26/30 on FG attempts, including 7-8 from 40+, a 51 yard game tying FG against at Baltimore. Dawson boasts a 82.7% success rate on FGs throughout his career. Ryan Pontbriand was a Pro Bowl long snapper for the AFC.
  

Overall, the Browns defense is considered a weak point. However, with the additions of Williams and Rogers, things are expected to change. With a new defensive coordinator in Mel Tucker, the Browns hope to change things around on defense. The Browns are currently in negotiations with Ty Law, although it has been said by Savage that a move for Law will be unlikely due to his contract demands. Our Front 7 will be solid, however, the Secondary will remain a concern. As far as Special Teams go, Josh Cribbs is the best returner in the NFL (not named Devin Hester) and Phil Dawson is as dependable as it gets.

With my next article, I will go through our schedule on a game by game basis to determine our record, and I will also predict stats for both the offense and defense.