3 Cleveland Browns who need fewer snaps down the stretch
By Randy Gurzi
2. Cleveland Browns EDGE Joe Jackson
The Browns added Joe Jackson last season after he was unable to catch on with the Dallas Cowboys. He appeared in three games with just five tackles in his first season with Cleveland. IN year two, he has made it into 10 games with 11 tackles and one sack.
He hasn’t been bad, by any means, but there’s another player who should be on the field ahead of Jackson —Ifeadi Odenigbo. Added this season after spending two seasons with Minnesota, Odenigbo hasn’t seen the field as much as Jackson but should
In just five games and roughly 40 fewer snaps, Odenigbo has the same number of pressures as Jackson. He’s also got much more experience as he has 37 career games with 15 starts in his career. During that time, he’s registered 65 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
Blaming the Browns defense for any of their recent struggles feels unfair. They might have had some terrible outings — like when they played the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots — but they have also put together some impressive performances as well.
Having said that, they could be even better down the stretch, and getting Odenigbo out there as the fourth defensive end would be a solid step in the right direction.