Analyzing the Cleveland Browns depth chart at linebacker
By Randy Gurzi
Looking ahead to the 2019 season, we take an in-depth look at the different position groups for the Cleveland Browns. Here is a glance at their linebackers.
With mandatory minicamps in the book — as well as the voluntary OTAs that not everyone understood were voluntary — it’s been easy to see what the Cleveland Browns are focused on in 2019. This team is set on becoming better on defense following a year in which they struggled in every facet.
Former defensive coordinator, and eventual interim head coach, Gregg Williams had plenty of fans due to his over the top personality. He was a star on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’, and fans loved the swagger he brought to the team once he was in charge following the ouster of Hue Jackson.
Even though he was a fun character, the defense wasn’t good under Williams. One way general manager John Dorsey went about trying to change that fact was by hiring Steve Wilks. The new Cleveland defensive coordinator is well respected around the league for the work he did with the Carolina Panthers. His one-year stop as a head coach in Arizona was a disaster, but that wasn’t on him as he was working with a mess of an organization.
After landing Wilks, the next step was to add more talent. There was the addition of Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants who will line up at defensive end opposite Myles Garrett. Then, there was free agent pick up Sheldon Richardson who will start next to Larry Ogunjobi in the middle of the D-line. We already talked about those positions in our tackle and defensive end positional breakdowns.
Now, we turn our attention to the linebackers. There will be one big change for sure as the Browns released Jamie Collins, who led the team in tackles last season. That was just the tip of the iceberg as there were two draft picks used on the position as well as a talented free agent acquisition.
Here, we break it all down as we look at the 10 players who are listed on the team’s official website that will be fighting to make the roster at linebacker.