Cleveland Browns completely overhauled defense heading into 2021

This offseason the Cleveland Browns have added numerous high-quality players to their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Between free agency and the recent NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns have added numerous high-quality players to their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

General manager Andrew Berry and defensive coordinator Joe Woods have completely overhauled the defense that we saw just one season ago. The defense is currently projected to return only three starters from last year’s team. Myles Garrett, Ronnie Harrison, and Denzel Ward are the only players remaining on the defense who saw significant action last season.

Let’s look to see how each position has changed for the Browns over the last couple of months.

Defensive Tackle

As for the interior defensive line, the Browns have brought in a number of players who can fill the void of losing Sheldon Richardson. In free agency, they signed Malik Jackson, a veteran at the defensive tackle position. Andrew Billings plans on returning to the field after he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns.

In the fourth round, the Browns selected Tommy Togiai, a Buckeye who was the best defender on the field during Ohio State’s playoff game against Clemson. They also brought in Marvin Wilson after the draft and signed Damion Square to add depth.

Along with those additions, Jordan Elliott will be going into his second season in the NFL. He showed some promise during his rookie season and is a candidate for increased playing time in 2021.

With all of this talent at one position, it is highly unlikely that all of these players make the final roster cuts before the season begins, but the defensive tackle position is set up nicely for Joe Woods next season.

One of the hallmarks of Joe Woods’ scheme is that he loves to rotate his players often during games. This helps to keep players fresh later in games. It also allows for players who are lower on the depth chart to still see the field.

This position unit might not have the most firepower, but it should still be successful under the direction of Joe Woods and his scheme.