Cleveland Browns: 5 obstacles to success in 2018

Do the Browns have enough depth on defense?

Defensive end has been a position the Browns have invested heavily in the past three years. Emmanuel Ogbah was the No. 32 pick in the 2016 draft. Had the New England Patriots not lost their first round pick to Deflategate, the pick would have been a first round pick.

In 2017, the Browns took Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick. The play of these two players have given Browns fans hope for the future. Per ESPN staff writer Pat McManamon:

"“Collins, Ogbah and Garrett were on the field together for only five minutes in 2017, but caused havoc in those five minutes.” — McManamon, ESPN"

The Browns saw five minutes of the defense they were trying to build. Although this says a lot about what this team could look like when finally healthy and playing together, it also speaks volumes about the need to have depth on the defensive side of the ball.

Related Story: Myles Garrett could make huge jump in 2018

If players begin getting hurt again, the defense could have problems. The rebuilding movement for the Browns have landed them an extremely amount of young talent. The problem with young talent is that it needs time to grow. It also need the proper amount of nourishment from veterans and coaches alike.

The core of this defense is starting to come together. But when the depth on the team is comprised of mainly first and second year players, injuries become a major issue.

To this end the Browns have signed Chris Smith and retained Carl Nassib. There are plenty of other positions where depth is a concern like free safety and linebacker even with the signing of Mychal Kendricks. The depth on defense could be an obstacle the Browns must overcome should players get injured again.

Third, the offensive scheme could be an obstacle