Show notes
The Browns finished the 2022 season with one of the worst interior defensive line groups in all of football. Much of the blame for the struggling defensive line could be on the scheme that now former DC Joe Woods ran in Cleveland, however, the Browns just never had the talent at the position anyways.
The two starting defensive lineman for the Browns were Jordan Elliot and Taven Bryan, who ranked at 118 and 66 respectively at their position, according to Pro Football Focus. Against the run, the Browns defense allowed 135 rushing yards per game and 1.3 rushing touchdowns per game, both statistics near dead last in the NFL. Elliott played in around at least half of the Browns snaps on the defensive line every game last season. He finished the year with 36 combined tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 3 quarterback hits and 2 sacks.
In addition to Elliott, Bryan was a big part of that room this past season. He was signed to the team last off-season on a one-year contract. Bryan, a former first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2018, was brought to Cleveland last off-season in an attempt to bolster the team up-front. However, the starting duo of Bryan and Elliott simply wasn't effective enough. Perrion Winfrey was another guy in the rotation for the Browns this past season. Winfrey was a fourth-round selection by the team in the 2022 NFL draft. Winfrey showed flashes throughout the season but is still not viewed as a starting caliber defensive tackle in the near future.
In order to make a push towards the postseason next year, the Browns will need to aggressively add talent to their roster through free agency, the draft and test out the trade market. Cleveland is expected to be heavily involved in the defensive tackle market this off-season. In Schwartz's past, he's almost always had a dominant force on the interior defensive line when he found success. One player who would certainly fit the bill is Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne.
Payne, a 5-year veteran and former first-round selection by Washington, was recently named to the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl roster and led the Commanders dominate front four in sacks last season. Over the course of his career, Payne has played in at least 15 games every season. Payne will come at a great cost, however, after finishing out the last year of his rookie deal. If Washington elects not to re-sign him and he hits the open market, Payne will likely draw interest from almost every NFL organization. A 25-year-old Pro Bowl caliber player doesn't hit the open market very often, especially at the defensive tackle position.
Defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox, unless they re-sign with the Eagles, will be unrestricted free agents in March and are both extremely talented tackles who could be on the Browns radar. Cox, a six-time All-Pro, is a 32-year-old veteran who has produced at high level for a long time in the league. Cox would likely be signed to a shorter-term deal and could be significantly cheaper than other players at the top of the market. Cox played under Schwartz in Philadelphia where the two won a Super Bowl together.
Hargrave, on the other hand, is a player who is expected to receive a big-time contract this off-season. Whether that is from Philadelphia or not, a team will be interested in giving the 29-year-old interior lineman a nice pay-day. Hargrave finished the 2022 regular season with several career best marks, including sacks and tackles for a loss. He tallied 11 sacks, 60 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and 16 quarterback hits during the 2022 campaign. Hargrave would be an ideal fit for the Browns and Schwartz as a player they can rely on to wreck havoc up the middle.
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