The Cleveland Browns defense was bad in 2020 but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have some players worth highlighting to close out the regular season.
The Cleveland Browns will have a lot of work to do in the offseason, whenever that may be, to improve this defense. The team largely was unimpressive outside of Myles Garrett or Denzel Ward, and the rest of the starters were either replaceable or just met the criteria to qualify as a starter in the NFL.
It’s fair to say most of the players on this defense will be replaced heading into next year, but there’s a chance some are retained. Two of the men on this list will certainly be back, and the other three are possible.
So let’s take a look at the five best players from an admittedly weak unit.
5. Andrew Sendejo
Say what you will about Andrew Sendejo, but the man has filled in as well as anyone had hoped. The entire defense has suffered from time to time due to one reason or another. Yet, Sendejo has been consistent all year long, constantly being blamed for other’s blown coverage. Sendejo never once lost his spot, and there’s a reason for that. Coach Kevin Stefanski knew that Sendejo was a key piece of the defense and his tackling was arguably the best on the team.
Now, he isn’t a playmaker. He had no interceptions, no sacks, and only one forced fumble. Yet, with all that going against him, he was still a stable force in the secondary, even if most fans made him their scapegoat.
4. Ronnie Harrison
I don’t think Ronnie Harrison outplayed Sendejo. I think he’s more talented, yes, but in terms of production, Sendejo was clearly the more efficient player. More durable to boot as well. Yet, Harrison gets the nod over Sendejo because Harrison stabilized the back end of the secondary when guys like Sheldrick Redwine and Karl Joseph failed to do so. Harrison brought in a sense of hope and consistency, and his arrival helped Sendejo improve too.
I’ve said all season that the safeties aren’t the issue many seem to think. It’s the corners and linebackers. That’s where the Browns got beat often, across the middle and in one-on-one coverage. That’s not to say that opposing offenses didn’t go over the top on these guys from time to time, because they did, but they didn’t really give up that many deep plays. At least not compared to how often they gave up big plays underneath.
If Harrison and Sendejo had better corners ahead of them to compliment Denzel Ward, then the Browns secondary would’ve been much better. It kind of makes you wonder why the Browns didn’t go and re-sign Damarious Randall and move him back to corner.
The hope is that the Browns through free agency or the draft address their corner issues because it’s clear the corners they have aren’t good enough.
3. Olivier Vernon
I mean, who else is there? Olivier Vernon had nine sacks in four games. He bunched seven of them in three games. To say he was inconsistent is an understatement. If Cody Parkey failed to deliver as often as Vernon, he wouldn’t have made it past week three. Yet, different expectations for different positions, which I hate, but it is the way it is.
Vernon was traded to the Browns in exchange for Kevin Zeitler and honestly, that trade was awful for the Browns. While J.C. Tretter has been amazing, the Browns could’ve used Zeitler or Tretter at the right guard spot last year, or even at a tackle spot. Mostly due to the terrible play of the offensive line, the Browns got blasted in 2019.
Vernon, for his part, never lived up to the expectations, nor did his play ever justify the trade. He’s only had 12.5 sacks over the last two years and has only played in 24 games to boot. Considering what the Browns gave up for him, and subsequently Odell Beckham Jr. in a second trade to New York, you expected more from the former-Giants.
The really ironic part is that just as he started to show some consistency, he again got hurt and now his career is in jeopardy. Vernon suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, a similar injury that Grant Delpit suffered in the offseason. Both players are going to have a long road ahead of them. For Vernon though, he played well enough for a depleted defense but fans across Browns nation had hoped for more.
2. Denzel Ward
Denzel Ward is no slouch. He’s a genuine Pro Bowl player but he’s having a hard time staying healthy. Ward has never played a full season and has missed 10 games already to start his young career. That’s concerning, especially since bodies break down more and more in football the older they get.
That said, Ward was an obvious game-changer when on the field during the 2020 regular season. You can quote any advanced stat line you want, but all you need to do is watch him play, and see the difference he made on the opposing team via tape. He made the Browns secondary competent, something they struggle to be when he’s out.
Ward had a solid season with 46 tackles, two interceptions, and 18 pass deflections. His 18 deflections are among the highest in the league across 12 games. He was a nightmare for opposing receivers and when the Browns had a pass rush, which wasn’t often, the defense actually looked like it could stop anyone.
The hope for 2021 is that the Browns finally pair Ward with another corner of close talent level so that the secondary can really flourish. Whether that’s a new vet, a rookie, or Greedy Williams finally getting healthy.
Ward is invaluable to this team and remains someone the team should continue to build around moving into the playoffs.
1. Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett had a nice six-game stretch back in the fall. Against Washington, Dallas, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and Cinncinati, Garrett posted nine sacks and four forced fumbles. Yet, the streaky nature of Garrett did pop back up in the first, eighth, and tenth weeks of the season. He posted just 0.5 a sack in those three games. Then the Browns franchise end caught COVID-19 and any hope of him finishing at the same rate as that six-game stretch disappeared completely.
Garrett missed Weeks 11 and 12 and since his return against Tennessee, he’s only had 2.5 sacks in six games. For anyone else, that’s a fine stat-line, but for the $125 million man, you expect more. In previous years, you could argue that Garrett just fell into a bad slump with that kind of production. That’s not the case this year. You have to give him a pass because COVID-19 isn’t the flu. Once you’ve passed it, it’s not done with you. It persists. It lingers. It damages your lungs like nothing we’ve ever seen.
So there’s no finger-wagging to be had here with Garrett. He’s doing the best he can, especially considering that he’s still undergoing treatment for the damage to his lungs.
If you take out the fact that Garrett’s stats were bunched up, his season totals are nice.
He had 48 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two pass deflections. Not to mention a Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro nod as well.
Here’s hoping the 2021 regular season sees a motivated and healthy Garrett.