5 players the Cleveland Browns will miss the most in 2021

1. EDGE Olivier Vernon

The addition of Jadeveon Clowney is huge. When healthy, he’s an incredibly disruptive run defender who can wreak havoc on the inside as a pass rusher. But Clowney has a pretty significant limitation; he’s a one-dimensional rusher.

He’s never possessed the bend and ankle flexibility required to be a great pass-rusher, and that’s evident by his zero sacks in 2020, and only three in 2019. He creates pressure, but is unable to finish those plays. Tackles just have to play him inside-out and it becomes much easier to deal with him.

That’s where the loss of Olivier Vernon will be felt so much. He bends around the edge very well and also wins inside, not to mention his excellent play against the run. Vernon is one of the most underrated players in the NFL, and after Myles Garrett started to deal with injuries and COVID-19 after five games, Vernon was the team’s best defensive player until he was lost to injury in Week 17.

That injury was devastating; an Achilles tear, which is incredibly difficult to come back 100% from, especially when that player is over 30 years old. Vernon won’t be ready to play until late in 2021, if he comes back at all. And even if he does, it’s unlikely he’ll be the same player. which is very sad. He was playing himself into a contract extension with the Browns, and lost out on tens of millions of dollars because of one play.

Clowney should be really good for the Browns as long as he can stay healthy. Takk McKinley has a great amount of untapped potential. But if injuries were not a factor, it’s likely Vernon would be starting opposite of Garrett again, and losing him will hurt.