Cleveland Browns defensive depth chart: PFF fair or not?

Thomas Moore

Dec 14, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Ryan Hewitt (89) tackled by Cleveland Browns strong safety Donte Whitner (31) and outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bengals won by a score of 30-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Following their first non-double-digit-loss season in seven years, the Cleveland Browns will be looking to its defense to improve in one critical area if they want to build on the 7-9 finish of 2014.

We’re talking, of course, about the run defense.

Last season, the Browns were last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, 27th in yards per carry, and 28th in runs of 20-plus yards by opposing ball carriers. The Browns were the favorite opponent of running backs across the league, as teams ran the ball 500 times on the Browns with 87 of those rushes gaining eight yards or more.

The defense only held opposing offenses to fewer than 100 rushing yards four times all season, gave up more than 150 rushing yards six times, and more than 200 yards three times.

As Tommy Lee Jones’ character said in No Country for Old Men, “if this ain’t a mess it will do until one gets here.”

Since the end of the season general manager Ray Farmer has worked to reshape the defense into one that will try to take advantage to one of the most-talented secondaries in the NFL. Out are defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, linebacker Jabaal Sheard and cornerback Buster Skrine, among others.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Browns lost the equivalent of 2.62 players on defense, based on the number of offensive snaps the departed players were on the field for in 2014. The bulk of those lost snaps came from just a handful of players, however, with Skrine leading the way with 1,152 defensive snaps. He was followed by Sheard (690), Jim Leonhard (517) and Rubin (457).

Of that group, Sheard is (maybe) the only player that the Browns will potentially miss. It certainly won’t be Skrine, who was flagged for 17 penalties in 2014, was the second most targeted cornerback in the league, and got beat for eight touchdowns. As for Rubin, he’s been under-performing for a while now, so happy trails in Seattle to him.

So while the Browns had some turnover on defense, they didn’t lose anyone crucial, which means improvement is just around the corner, yes?

Well, let’s not be hasty here.

Pro Football Focus also examined the defensive depth chart for the Browns, ranking each player in one of seven categories: Elite, High Quality, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, Not Enough Info, Rookie and Rookie Undrafted Free Agent.

According to their rankings, the Browns’ defense is solid, but still has some work to do. Seven presumed starters earn a ranking of good or better, while three of the remaining four are just average or worse.

Let’s take a look at each position group, see how PFF ranked the players, and determine if the ranking is fair or not.

Next: Defensive Line

Oct 5, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (12) passes against Cleveland Browns defensive end Desmond Bryant (92) during the second half at LP Field. Cleveland won 29-28. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

No surprises as the defensive line is the shakiest unit on this side of the ball.

Randy Starks, who the team signed in free agency from Miami, scores highest among the starters with a ranking of Good, while Desmond Bryant is considered Average. Danny Shelton, the No. 12 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, obviously comes in under the Rookie tag.

There is not much love for the backups along the line, with incumbents John Hughes, Phil Taylor and Ishmaa’ily Kitchen being ranked as Average, and Billy Winn earning a Below Average mark.

We want to argue with those rankings, because Starks is a veteran presence, Bryant has been a bit under-rated since arriving in Cleveland, and Hughes and Taylor are not that bad.

But the reality is that Starks only played 544 snaps last season with the Dolphins and could just be a different version of Rubin. And while Bryant is a solid player, after having 3.5 sacks in his first three games with Cleveland, he’s only had five in the 24 games since.

As for Taylor, he earned a grade of -6.5 from Pro Football Focus after playing just 133 snaps last season as he struggled to stay healthy.

The biggest hope for the defensive line rests with Shelton, who if he can be a dominant player and occupy the offensive line’s attention, it may raise the play of everyone else.

“I know a lot of people — just like they like to put sacks on an offensive line when a lot of times it’s not necessarily on them — that (think) rush defense goes onto the defensive line,” Pettine told The News-Herald. “Obviously, the fair share of blame is there, but it was part scheme, part the linebackers, the edges, secondary, improper angles, missed tackles. It’s part of it but probably not to the extent that most people would think.”

Speaking of stopping the run being everyone’s responsibility, let’s move onto the linebackers.

Verdict: Fair

Next: The Linebackers

Nov 2, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Paul Kruger (99) sacks Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 22-17. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

If the defensive line can slow down the run, we’re not ready just yet to stay stop the run, the linebackers may actually be better than some are expecting.

Karlos Dansby, an 11-year veteran who played his first season in Cleveland in 2014, led the way with a High Quality ranking, followed by Paul Kruger, who totaled a career-best 11 sacks, with a ranking of Good. Rounding out the starters are Barkevious Mingo (Average) and Craig Robertson (Below Average).

Among the backups, returnees Armonty Bryant has Not Enough Info as he switches from the defensive line to outside linebacker, and Chris Kirksey is Average. Draft picks Nate Orchard and Hayes Pullard are both Rookies.

One overlooked player may be Tank Carder, who will be entering his fourth season this fall.

“This spring has been eye-opening,” linebackers coach Chuck Driesbach told the team’s website. “He’s been an excellent blitzer. His coverage skills are good. He’s a playmaker. He’s shown solid leadership and command in making the calls out there. He gives us so much depth and he’s a guy we now know we can do some things with.”

When the team’s official website starts talking up a particular player, it is probably a good idea to pay attention.

While Kruger’s ranking may be a little low, especially since he seems like a great fit for defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil‘s system, Dansby’s may be a little bit high, especially when you consider that Dansby may have contributed to the problems the Browns had in stopping the run last season as he struggled at times with his assignments.

“The way we played our defense was totally different than anything I had played before,” Dansby told Northeast Ohio Media Group. “The alignment issues, that’s on me. That’s something I can get better at . . . It will help everyone else if I am lined up correctly.”

Dansby didn’t get to be an 11-year veteran by not learning from his mistakes, however, and is reportedly working to correct the issues from 2014.

“As long as he continues to make more plays than he’s giving up, you’re OK with it, and he did last year. There were times that it did hurt us, and showing them those clips and explaining it to him and then just him being in year two is really going to help him,” O’Neil told NEOMG. “He had a phenomenal year for us, and that wasn’t the reason we struggled in the run game – because of Karlos Dansby’s alignments – but it was just one of the things that we needed to get better at.”

Much like Kruger, Mingo may be a bit under-rated. While the previous regime drafted Mingo as a pass rusher, the current coaching staff has successfully deployed him as the team’s best cover linebacker. His sack numbers may not be what some would like them to be, but that doesn’t mean that Mingo is not a productive player. (And we’re looking forward to seeing how he plays this fall now that he doesn’t have one arm strapped down in a sling on game day.)

We’re also looking forward to seeing what Orchard can do as a potential bookend pass rusher with Kruger.

Verdict: Fair

Next: The Secondary

Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns strong safety Donte Whitner (31) talks to fans during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Cleveland Browns 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Now we get to the top dawgs on the defense.

Cornerback Joe Haden (Pro Bowl 2014) and safety Donte Whitner (Pro Bowl 2014) check in as High Quality, while cornerback Tramon Williams and safety Tashaun Gipson (Pro Bowl 2014) are both listed as Good. Fifth defensive back K’Waun Williams also comes in as Good.

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Things get a little dicey, however, once you get past the starters, as their is Not Enough Info on players like Pierre Desir, Johnson Bademosi and Jordan Poyer; while Justin Gilbert is listed as Average after a disappointing rookie season. If one of the starters goes down, it may be a bit unpleasant.

The Browns had one of the best defensive secondaries in the league in 2014, finishing ninth in the NFL in points allowed at 21.1 per game, tied for 10th by allowing opposing offenses to convert on just 38 percent of third-down attempts, was second in interceptions with 21, was eighth in pass yards allowed per game at 224.5, and was tops in the league in allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 57.1 percent of their pass attempts.

As Pro Football Focus put it:

"Despite the pessimism around several parts of the roster, the Browns starting defensive backfield is up there with the very best in the league. Joe Haden might not be in that elite group at cornerback, but he is in the high quality group below, and he’s now joined in Cleveland by Tramon Williams. In the slot, K’Waun Williams really impressed on limited work in 2014, finishing the year with a +11.0 coverage grade. At safety, the duo of Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner are one of the best safety pairings in the NFL."

If everyone stays healthy, and Williams and Gilbert take a step forward, this secondary could be the best the Browns have seen since the late 1980s and the unit could be one of the best in the NFL.

This is a smart and talented group, which is important as O’Neil is looking to add to their responsibilities this fall.

It all starts up front, however, as opposing offenses can neutralize the secondary if they can successfully run the ball, which brings us full circle back to the defensive line.

Verdict: Fair

What do you think of the depth chart rankings for the Browns?

Next: Why the Browns have built a Super Bowl roster

Thomas Moore

I'm a lifelong Cleveland sports fan and proud graduate of The Kent State University. Red Right 88 taught me what it means to be a Browns fan - and by extension a Cleveland fan. I may not have seen it all when it comes to Cleveland sports, but I have seen plenty. All opinions are rooted in fact. Don't say you haven't been warned.