Defensive Line Advantage: Browns
This one might ruffle some feathers in the Ravens fan base. The Ravens have acquired defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe this offseason to try to rebuild their defensive line unit. Those are two very good players, and in the case of Campbell, a likely Hall of Famer. I give the advantage here though to the Cleveland Browns. This is for two main reasons: age and depth.
The Cleveland Browns defensive line is returning all of the week one starters from last season. When it comes to defensive line play, chemistry is criminally underrated. These guys will have another season underneath their belts to continue to get to know how each other play. Their twists and stunts will be crisper as they have a better feel for where everyone else will be. The Ravens will not have this luxury, as two of their projected three starting defensive linemen were not with the team last season.
The Browns are also the younger unit. Myles Garrett is only 24-years-old and going to turn 25-years-old late this season. Defensive tackles Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson are going to be 26-years-old and 30-years-old at one point this season respectively. To finish it off, on the other end, Olivier Vernon will be turning 30-years-old this season. The Ravens defensive line’s youngest starter will be Wolfe, who will be 30-years-old this upcoming season. Campbell and Brandon Williams will be 34-years-old and 31-years-old this season respectively.
Father time usually catches defensive linemen sometime around the age of 30-31, and while it has not caught Campbell and any of the Ravens defensive line that much yet, it is bound to happen.
The Browns also have more depth than the Ravens on the defensive line. New additions Andrew Billings and Adrian Clayborn are going to be great backups for the team, and are some of the best backup defensive linemen in the NFL. The Ravens backup defensive linemen are headlined by Patrick Ricard and Justin Ellis, neither of whom are the same quality of players as Billings and Clayborn.