5 burning questions the Browns must answer in 2019

Most of the defensive inefficiencies the Browns had last season have already been addressed above with the cornerbacks. However, the play of the defensive line was perhaps the most glaring issue on this side of the ball.

Yes, it’s unfair to put all of the blame on the team’s defensive line, but they’re the reason for a large part of the issues suffered last season. They only sacked the quarterback 37 times, which tied them for 22nd in the NFL.

To further put that into perspective, Myles Garrett had 13.5 of those sacks on his own. The rest of the line didn’t do nearly enough, and not getting constant pressure on opposing signal callers left the defense susceptible everywhere else.

Dorsey took this issue to task this offseason. He signed Sheldon Richardson to play defensive tackle and added edge rusher Olivier Vernon via trade.

Richardson had a career-reviving season in 2018 with the Minnesota Vikings with 4.5 sacks in 16 games playing tackle. Vernon had a up and down 2018, but he was still able to get to the quarterback and collect seven sacks in 11 games.

For the price both cost, the defensive line is the biggest contingency for the Browns playing to their potential or not in 2019.

Vernon cost player and draft assets, as well as over $15 million a season for this year and next. Richardson came with a hefty fee of $37 million over three years as well.

Getting into the backfield and to the quarterback will help this team immensely. It will alleviate long plays where the defense commits a penalty or has to defend for too long, and it will take the pressure off of players like Ward and Williams.

Vernon, Richardson and Garrett could be a game-wrecking trio in 2019, but that is a “if” that must be answered.