Cleveland Browns: 5 offseason needs in 2020
By Randy Gurzi
3. A run-stuffing defensive tackle
The Browns defense was supposed to be better than they were in 2019. Injuries — and a suspension for defensive end Myles Garrett — didn’t help them any, but even when everyone was suited up they weren’t incredibly imposing.
They weren’t all bad though, as they were seventh in the league in stopping the pass according to NFL.com, surrendering just 216.9 yards per game. However, that number is somewhat skewed as the Browns were dealt some big losses that resulted in opposing teams running at the end of the games to kill the clock. And they were able to do that because they were terrible against the run.
On the season, they finished 30th overall with 144.7 yards per game. That was an embarrassment as they were gashed often last year. And with the Baltimore Ravens in their division, they have to find someone who can clog up running lanes and make life hard on the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson and his stable of running backs.
The good news is, the Browns can find a run-stuffing defensive tackle without having to use a premium pick. Yes, the previous regime decided to use a first-round pick on Danny Shelton to play nose tackle, but usually, two-down players such as that are found late in day two or possibly during day three of the draft.
Cleveland has two good options in Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi and they can be terrible for opponents to deal with in passing situations. However, they don’t have that guy who can force teams into those third-and-longs by shutting down the run game. Find him, and the entire defense gets better.