Cleveland Browns: 4 best things to look forward to this season

No. 1: Jim Schwartz defense

Out with the old and in with the new. That's a good thing if you're a Browns fan ready to watch the defense that Jim Schwartz is installing this season. The team has gone out and picked up several new defensive players as well which should help. The most recent move was a trade for defensive end Za'Darius Smith from the Minnesota Vikings.

Earlier this offseason, they also signed free agent Dalvin Tomlinson, a huge defensive tackle also from the Vikings. Then Cleveland went out and picked up Juan Thornhill to play safety and then grabbed savvy veteran safety Rodney McLeod too. All these additions will certainly be welcomed to a defense that has struggled the last couple of seasons.

Schwartz's approach as coach is also very different from past defensive coordinator Joe Woods, most notably by holding his players more accountable for their play and effort. There seemed to be a lack of that approach in recent times as players were pointing the finger at others or their coaches.

One doesn't get the sense either that Schwartz is going to put up with a lack of effort from his players or the mental games that some like to play such as his star defensive end Myles Garrett, who has tried that stunt from time to time. If a player needs to be benched this season, regardless of star status, I believe we'll see that from the coach.

This should be a refreshing step back to some old-school coaching and it should help make this defense much better.