Are the Cleveland Browns confident in their current group of linebackers?

Adding a linebacker was perceived as a priority for the Cleveland Browns this off-season, but they may be confident enough in their current group.

After dealing with a variety of issues at the second level of the defense in 2018, it seemed likely the Cleveland Browns were going to add a starting linebacker in free agency or through a trade.

The Browns were reportedly pursuing free agent linebacker C.J. Mosley, but the linebacker ended up signing a deal with the New York Jets. But after Mosley, the Browns were not connected to any other free agent linebacker.

Browns general manager John Dorsey did make a move at the linebacker position in free agency, signing Adarius Taylor to a two-year, $5 million deal. However, Taylor is more of a depth and special teams player instead of him being expected to be a starter on the defense.

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Despite several talented linebackers being available in free agency this off-season, Cleveland decided to mostly stand pat at the position. Instead of adding a starting linebacker, the Browns decided to focus on the defensive line, trading for Olivier Vernon and signing Sheldon Richardson.

It gives a sense that Dorsey and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks are confident in what their current group of linebackers can do for the defense. The current group of Browns linebackers consists of Taylor, Chrisitian Kirksey, Joe Schobert, Genard Avery, Ray-Ray Armstrong, and D’Juan Hines.

Although he struggled with missed tackles last season, Schobert remains one of the most underrated players in the NFL. He emerged as one of the best coverage linebackers in the league and was a leader for Cleveland’s defense.

Kirksey is an experienced linebacker and plays well against the run, but has issues when playing in coverage. He also missed the last half of the 2018 season with a hamstring injury. Avery filled in at linebacker after Kirksey’s injury, but his best play came when he was playing as an edge rusher instead of playing in space.

One of the biggest issues with the Browns linebackers was their inability to stick with tight ends and running backs in coverage. Too often last season the Browns defense would be abused by an opponent’s passing offense in the middle of the field. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Browns linebackers allowed 133 receptions and 1,458 yards when in coverage.

But the team’s run defense was not much better, as the Browns finished with the fifth-worst run defense in 2018. The poor play of the defensive line played a role in that stat, but the Browns linebackers were also missing too many tackles at the second level. Browns linebackers missed 65 tackles in 2018, according to Pro Football Focus.

Because of these issues, it is why the Browns adding a starting linebacker this off-season would have a made a lot of sense. But unless they make a move in the second wave of free agency, it seems like the Browns believe they have a good enough group of linebackers for the 2019 season.

The Browns may be targeting a couple of different linebackers with their first picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, the linebacker position is one of the weaker groups in the upcoming draft class, so the Browns will have to be confident the players they are potentially targeting will be available when they are selecting.

Three linebacker options in the draft for the Browns. dark. Next

As the roster currently sits, the linebacker position still appears to be one of the weaker groups on the entire roster. Unless Dorsey has some late moves up his sleeve, then the Browns must be more confident in their linebacker corps than everybody else.

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