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Cleveland Browns: 5 keys to a Super Bowl 55 trip

By Mitch Zoloty

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 15: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns and teammates get ready to run onto the field prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 15: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns and teammates get ready to run onto the field prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

3. Figure out the linebackers

Of all the positions on the Cleveland Browns roster, linebacker is the only spot that the team got definitively worse over the offseason. Losing veterans Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey will hurt this defense a lot. When considering that the Browns are going to have a new defensive coordinator too, the leadership those guys brought to the table will have to be replaced fast.

Currently, the best word to describe the Browns linebacker unit is unproven. Mack Wilson is coming off a year where he was really good production-wise, but definitely has a lot of room to grow when you put on the tape. He’s probably the best linebacker currently on the roster. An argument could be made for free-agent acquisition B.J. Goodson, who has the most experience on the roster.

To hammer home, the unproven point lets take a look at how many starts each of the current linebackers on the roster has during their NFL career so far.

"BJ Goodson (29) Mack Wilson (14) Tae Davis (5) Sione Takitaki (1) Everyone else (0)"

There’s some good and some bad to be seen in unproven. The good is that one of these guys could be a huge surprise in 2020. Most of our linebackers are young guys not even in their prime years yet. There’s also a lot of opportunities for anyone to step up and fill the role, none of the linebackers have a lot of capital invested in them to where they need to start.

The bad is that just as any of these guys could easily be a huge surprise, they could become a huge letdown. If the linebackers aren’t consistent in their play and filling the correct gaps this season, the Browns defense could easily be gashed for some huge plays. This could hinder the development of other players at other positions on the defense too.

A big bag of the unknown, the linebackers are truly the biggest wildcard in terms of player personnel for the Cleveland Browns as we enter the 2020 season.

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