3 important goals Cleveland Browns did achieve in 2021
By Randy Gurzi
Cleveland Browns accomplishment No. 1: They improved the defense
It was easy to see Andrew Berry’s plan this offseason. The second-year general manager was intent on fixing the defense in Cleveland and while they’re not perfect, he made some huge strides in the right direction.
Berry added talent in free agency as he signed Jadeveon Clowney, John Johnson III, Anthony Walker, and Troy Hill. Then in the 2021 NFL Draft, he focused mainly on defense with players such as Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah coming in.
The result has been a significant increase in their efficiency. For example, in 2020, the Browns defense was 17th in the NFL in yards surrendered, giving up 358 per contest. This year, they climbed into the top-10, landing at No. 7 while averaging 321 yards given up per game. They also improved from 21st in points surrendered to 17th.
Beyond just mere numbers, the improvement is easy to see on the field. There have been countless times the defense has given the offense the opportunity to either get back into the game or even given them a shot at winning.
While we could focus on the times the offense failed, it’s also important to note that Berry did improve the defense which was a huge goal for him. That should also give us all hope that in 2022, he can fix the offense.
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Again, team building is a marathon and not a race. The Browns are trending in the right direction as these accomplishments illustrate.