Predicting Cleveland Browns 2020 Depth Chart: Defensive Line
By Randy Gurzi
Starting Defensive Tackles
Sheldon Richardson
The Browns top defensive tackle this season will once again be Sheldon Richardson, the former first-round pick that joined the team in free agency ahead of the 2019 season. Richardson was given a three-year, $36 million contract with $21 million of that guaranteed. And in his first season with the Browns, he was the only starting defensive lineman to appear in all 16 games.
Richardson finished with 62 tackles and three sacks and even proved his worth by sliding over to defensive end at times with Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon out. He might not be a beast off e edge but he can perform the job and is an excellent run defender. Having said that, his best fit is as a disruptive interior tackle, and thanks to the new depth behind Vernon and Garrett, he should be allowed to thrive in that role once again in 2020.
Andrew Billings
Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi were both great at rushing the passer but the Browns struggled when it came to run defense. For that reason, they went out and signed Andrew Billings away from the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.
Billings isn’t a guy who will make the splashy plays, but he’s going to do the dirty work. And chances are, he will start ahead of Ogunjobi — which isn’t an insult to Larry O. Instead, it allows him the team to slow dun running attacks and rotate Ogunjobi in when they know a pass is more likely.