The Cleveland Browns fell well short of expectations during the 2022 season. They went 7-10, struggling to close out games that they had control. A big reason for those letdowns was the performance of their defense.
The Browns finished last season ranked 20th in points surrendered and 14th in yardage allowed. But, it wasn’t their passing defense that struggled. They were solid in that regard, finishing fifth in passing yards allowed.
Instead, it was on the ground that Cleveland struggled. They were ranked 25th in rushing yards allowed, 29th in rushing touchdowns surrendered and 25th in rushing yards per attempt as opponents steamrolled them with their rushing attacks.
The Browns did make one splash at the position this offseason, signing Dalvin Tomlinson away from the Minnesota Vikings. He agreed to a four-year, $57 million contract as part of the defensive tackle market boom that occurred this offseason.
Tomlinson is a nice addition, but the Browns shouldn’t be done making additions. In the opinion of ESPN’s NFL Insider Field Yates, Cleveland should be looking to add some more defensive tackle depth to their roster before the season gets underway.
“The Browns’ roster once again looks to be in good shape heading into training camp, but defensive tackle feels like an area to address. While the team added a star in Dalvin Tomlinson and a massive run-stuffer in Siaki Ika in the third round of the draft, one more contributor to solidify the rotation would go a long way, especially since 2022 fourth-rounder Perrion Winfrey feels like a roster-bubble player right now. There are quality options available, including Shelby Harris and Ndamukong Suh.”
Shelby Harris spent 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks, landing with them as part of the Russell Wilson blockbuster trade from the Denver Broncos. He was solid in a rotational role for them and would be a nice addition to the Browns’ defensive front.
Ndamukong Suh was a late addition to the Philadelphia Eagles last season, joining them for the second half of the campaign. He played a small role in their defensive tackle rotation but is only one season removed from being a starter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and producing a 6.0-sack season.
Either player would be a good pick-up for the Browns, who need some more help alongside Tomlinson and Myles Garrett in the trenches. Harris and Suh are both quality players that would help shore things up in the run game while providing some pass-rushing production.
