The Cleveland Browns are just days away from taking the field at FirstEnergy Stadium for the season opener versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns have had one of the busiest offseasons in the organization’s history. As WFNY’s Michael Bode pointed out, the Browns have just 22 players1 remaining on their 53-man roster and practice squad who were with the organization on October 1, 2017. So, the Browns have added 42 new players since then.2 So, with the Browns new-look team, where are the strengths and weaknesses on the roster? Here is how I would rank each positional unit on the Browns roster going into the 2018 season, starting with the most talented unit and going all the way to the least talented unit.
- Running Back
The deepest and most talented unit is the running back unit. Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson, and Nick Chubb are three talented backs who possess the ability to make plays. All three of these guys could start in the backfield for many teams around the league. It is a group with a good array of skill sets, which makes the overall unit a versatile one. When any one of them is on the field, the level of performance does not dip a lot. It is the deepest and most talented group on the Browns.
- Linebacker
The linebacker unit has so much talent, but it was put into such a tough position last season, that it caused the play of the individuals to fall. Talent-wise, the linebacker unit is strong with good young depth behind the starters. Jamie Collins, Joe Schobert, and Christian Kirksey form a formidable starting unit with NFL production on their resume. They are all athletic linebackers with the ability to do different tasks for the defense. What makes the unit even better is Genard Avery and James Burgess. Avery adds value in his ability to rush the passer and Burgess is a player who received a lot of experience last season in place of the injured Collins. Hopefully, the defensive scheme utilizes this unit better than last season.
- Defensive End
Starting talent-wise, the defensive end position is the best on the Browns roster. Myles Garrett is the best player on the team and Emmanuel Ogbah is a rising young player. This duo could rise up and be one of the best edge rushing duos in the league. They are both complete players who affect the pass and run games. The reason this unit is not higher is the lack of depth at the position. Chris Smith is a nice backup because of experience in the league, but beyond him, there is not much. Chad Thomas, Genard Avery, and Ifeadi Odenigbo could be contributors here, but they are all inexperienced players. This is a position that could rise to the top by the end of the season.
- Quarterback
Yes Browns fans, the Browns quarterback position is a top five position on the team. It has a nice combination of depth and young talent. Tyrod Taylor brings experience and production to the table. Baker Mayfield is the most talented quarterback on the roster, with the potential to be a franchise quarterback. And, Drew Stanton is a third-string quarterback with starting experience. This position can rise if Mayfield is given a chance to show the talent he has in the games that count. This is the most excitement and hope I have had about the quarterback position since 1999.
- Safety
I really like the depth of the safety position. At strong safety, Jabrill Peppers and Derrick Kindred both have started in the NFL. They are both young players with good skill sets. They have just not shown it on a consistent basis, yet. At free safety, Damarious Randall and Briean Boddy-Calhoun are two players who have started at cornerback but are now moved to safety. This should be a good transition for both because their skill sets fit this role well. Depth is the key to this ranking. It can go up or down by the end of the year based on how these young players produce this season.
- Tight End
The tight end unit is such a potential-filled position. David Njoku can be one of the best tight ends in the league given his athleticism and skill set. But, he is entering his second year after a flash-filled rookie season that lacked the consistency. Seth DeValve is another tight end who has potential to be a difference maker, specifically in the passing game. He needs to stay healthy and show the consistency like Njoku. Darren Fells is a blocking tight end who fits the unit well as the other two are both centered on the receiving side of the position. Can these guys live up to their potential?
- Specialists
The Browns specialists are a solid group. Zane Gonzalez has the leg to be one of the better kickers in the league. He started out his rookie season in a rough way, but by the end of the last season, he was performing pretty well. He will determine where this group ranks at the end of the season. Britton Colquitt is a solid punter. Charley Hughlett’s name is not well-known meaning he has done his long snapper job cleanly.
- Offensive Line
The Browns offensive line is such a hard unit to evaluate. First of all, Hue Jackson has not yet officially named who will make up the starting offensive line. The makeup is there for a successful line. If the Browns go with Joel Bitonio at left tackle, Austin Corbett at left guard, J.C. Tretter at center, Kevin Zeitler at right guard and Chris Hubbard at right tackle, I think the offensive line will be solid to good. Corbett is the big question mark on the line in that lineup. He is a rookie who is transitioning to a position he did not play at in college. He will take time to develop. But, the biggest issue is the depth. The Browns have very little depth. If one of the starters goes down, the Browns could be in real trouble.
- Wide Receiver
The wide receiver unit is the hardest unit to rank on this list. It can be really good or struggle to be productive. Jarvis Landry is the only known quantity on the roster. Josh Gordon has been on and off the field so many times over the course of the past several years that it is hard to know what we will get from him. He is probably the key to where this position ends up at the end of the season. The Browns are putting a lot on the inexperienced Antonio Callaway, who did not play college football last season. Rashard Higgins is another player who the Browns are relying heavily on, but he has yet to show consistency in the NFL. The unit is just a big unknown right now.
- Cornerback
The cornerback unit is jumble of corners right now. I am confident that Denzel Ward will play well and show why he was selected with the fourth overall pick. But beyond Ward, I just don’t know what to expect. Terrance Mitchell has played well this preseason and will likely start alongside Ward, but he has little starting experience and has not shown consistent production as of yet. Can he make the jump? E.J. Gaines had a breakout year last season, but he is hurt and has not shown he can sustain that level. T.J. Carrie has shown production in the NFL, but he has struggled this preseason. Denzel Rice and Tavierre Thomas have little to no NFL regular season experience. If the Browns use Briean Boddy-Calhoun at cornerback, my level of anxiety will lessen given his production level for the Browns over past couple seasons. But, this position right now has a lot more questions than answers.
- Defensive Tackle
The defensive tackle unit is the worst position on the Browns roster. The unit has seen a huge turnover over the past couple days and so we just don’t know how it will play out. Larry Ogunjobi is the only player I am confident in being a productive player. Trevon Coley had flashes of production last season, but consistency is a question mark, along with the fact that he has missed almost the entire preseason with an injury. Carl Davis was acquired off waivers this past weekend. Davis should be a nice addition to the lineup, but how good can he be? Can he start for the Browns? Devaroe Lawrence has no NFL regular season experience. The likes of Myles Garrett, Emmanuel Ogbah and some of the other edge players will aid this unit when the defense calls for them to move inside. But, the exclusive interior defensive linemen on the Browns roster leave a lot to be desired.
- includes Danny Vitale who is on IR
- Including the 10-player practice squad.