Analyzing the Cleveland Browns depth chart at linebacker

Former league-leading tackler: Joe Schobert

During this coming season, the Browns are expected to operate primarily out of a two-linebacker set with extra defensive backs on the field. With that being the case, the players who will mostly be on the field at this position are Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey.

Back in 2017, Schobert led the NFL with 144 tackles. That same season, he added his first career interception and also had three sacks. For his efforts, the second-year linebacker was named to his first Pro Bowl. Last year, he had another 103 tackles but missed three games due to injury.

This is a big season for Schobert as he’s entering the last year of his contract with the Browns. He surely would like to land himself a long-term deal but the team will have some tough decisions to make as they’ve dedicated a lot of money to some of their new superstars and are no longer loaded with cap space in the next couple of years. They also have to decide on players such as Damarious Randall, their starting free safety who also enters his final year under contract.

At some point, the contract situation will need to be figured out, but for now, the only concern will be how quickly he can master the defense that Steve Wilks is running. As the middle linebacker, he’s going to be an integral part of their success on that side of the ball.