Despite struggling at times as an overall unit last season, the Cleveland Browns defensive line remained a constant source of production even in a year where the biggest storyline was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. With the injury issues in the back end of the defense, the defensive front faced an immense amount of pressure all season long to create chaos for opposing quarterbacks before opposing receivers would eventually find the openings in the secondary. Steady contributions from veterans that are no longer on the team such as Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson helped keep the defensive line afloat when Myles Garrett contracted COVID was forced to miss multiple games.
The Browns all pro defender tested positive for COVID-19 during the week following Cleveland’s victory over Houston on November 15th. The pass rushing extraordinaire missed two games; wins over Philadelphia and Jacksonville. Olivier Vernon had his best game as a Brown against the Eagles, recording three sacks in the 22-17 Cleveland victory. Adrian Clayborne also contributed with 1.5 sacks of his own versus Philadelphia. The Browns pass rush was prolific for a majority of 2020, even when missing Myles Garett.
Looking ahead to 2021, the Cleveland defensive line will have a few new faces as will the rest of the Browns defense. Division rival Cincinnati signed Larry Ogunjobi, and Sheldon Richardson inked a deal with Minnesota after being released by Cleveland due to salary cap concerns. To take the places of Ogunjobi and Richardson, the Browns will be relying on a few veterans in addition to some younger players as well.
Andrew Billings has the inside track at one of the defensive tackle spots, as the former Bengal will make his Cleveland debut this season after opting out in 2020 due to the pandemic. Billings is on a one year deal with the Browns and is known for his ability to stop the run. Additionally, the Browns signed former pro bowler Malik Jackson to a one year deal after spending last season with the Eagles. While Jackson is 31 years old, he still possesses some pass rushing ability and should see more opportunities for favorable matchups being alongside the likes of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney.
DE Jadeveon Clowney 2020 Full Season Highlights (All-22)
The arrival of former number one overall pick Jadeveon Clowney brings a ton of excitement to the Cleveland team and fan base. While the two sides did have discussions last offseason, there was not enough interest from Clowney’s camp. That all changed following an impressive playoff run in 2020, as Clowney signed a one year deal with the team after visiting the facility. While Clowney’s sack numbers have not been high the last few years, he was often faced with double teams from opposing offensive lines. That will certainly not be the case in Cleveland, as teams will not be able to double team both Clowney and Myles Garrett on the edge. Clowney is also one of the premier run defenders at his position, something that will be beneficial in the AFC North.
There is signifiant optimism surrounding the Cleveland Browns defense due to the moves Andrew Berry made during the offseason. Cleveland should be able to play more complementary football in 2021, as their defense is now up to par with an already potent offense.
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