3 Cleveland Browns who have been MIA through 4 games

Linebacker is still a major issue

Coming into the season fans knew linebacker was going to be an issue.  After seeing long time Browns Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey exit the organization, many hoped Berry would bring in a big-name free agent.  Unfortunately, analytical organizations just don’t value the linebacker position like they do cornerback and defensive end.

With the Browns analytical philosophy, Berry put all his chips on Wilson, Sione Takitaki, B.J. Goodson, and rookie Jacob Phillips. Wilson was the only player with a lot of NFL experience and a knee injury before the season would put even more pressure on the rest of the crew.

Phillips has been limited in snaps because of an injury as well in Week 1, which has put all the pressure on Takitaki, Goodson, and Malcolm Smith (a veteran brought in right before the season). All have struggled at times, but specifically in coverage.

The biggest struggle for the defense this year is getting off the field on third down. Unless it’s third and 10 or longer, no fan feels like there is a good chance of the defense making a stop. Another concern is opposing teams not facing many third downs.

It’s tough to label Takitaki, Goodson, and Smith disappointments because scouts and coaches knew what they were capable of. This is the one position where the biggest disappointment should be with Berry. Spending $12 million per year on Joe Schobert or $8 million on Kirksey would not have been smart, but he needed to bring someone in with experience.

The linebackers played better in the second and third quarters vs. the Cowboys and getting Phillips back looked to be a big bump, but Wilson still looked like a guy who wasn’t ready to be on the field. Hopefully, another week off will get him healthy, the Browns will certainly need him moving forward to be a playoff contender.