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Browns: Evaluating the opponents for the 2021 NFL Season

By Chad Porto

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns drops back to pass against the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns drops back to pass against the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 14: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns passes during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 14: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns passes during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 14, 2018, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Week 5 – Chargers (Away)

The Chargers actually had one of the best pass defenses in the league last year, and it only got better when they acquired Asaunte Samuel Jr. in the 2021 NFL Draft. With four of the five starters in the secondary coming back; Michael Davis, Rayshawn Jenkins, Nasir Adderley, and Chris Harris Jr., the Chargers look to incorporate Samuel into their scheme as quickly as possible to replace departed corner Casey Hayward. Hayward signed the Raiders in the offseason.

Melvin Ingram, another long-time Chargers defender, has also left the team after his worst career season yet. Ingram and Hayward are joined by another major free agent departure in tight end Hunter Henry, who joined the Patriots in the offseason after one of his better seasons yet.

The Chargers are bringing back a bulk of their team, and a hopefully healthy Justin Herbert will lead the team back to the playoffs, but there remains a problem. Former head coach Anthony Lynn led the Chargers to the top ten in offense and defense last year, to a respectable 7-9 record under a rookie quarterback, and was unceremoniously fired. He was replaced by a defensive-minded head coach in Brandon Staley, who was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams last year. A year in which the Rams were in the top 11 worst defenses statistically in the NFL.

If you’re a Chargers fan, 2021 will be a very trying year.

Expectations: Unless Brandon Staley is the next great coordinator to jump to the pros, the Chargers are in for a losing season. The defense should be stout, but Staley isn’t an offensive minded-coach and considering he’s not all that proven as a defensive-minded one, the Chargers don’t appear to be the favorites to beat the Browns at home.

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