ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Detroit Lions defensive assistant and outside linebacker coach David Corrao shared insights on the team’s defensive approach and linebacker roles ahead of their matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Corrao emphasized the importance of linebacker Derrick Barnes, saying, “I think Derrick’s very important, but I think it also includes the rest of the linebacker room as well as the safeties.”
He explained the advantage of playing base defense with versatile linebackers and safeties.
“We have safeties that we’re comfortable lining up in man-to-man on wide receivers. And then we like that because it gives us a chance to make it difficult for other teams to run the ball on a base front,” Corrao said.
Linebacker acumen
Corrao highlighted the mental acumen of the linebackers and their deep knowledge of the scheme.
“These are guys that have been in the system since they walked in the door. And the guy that was coaching them is now running the show,” Corrao said.
He added, “The result that you get is these guys put the time in, they learn, they see the game through Chev’s eyes, and then that allows us to play faster and do more on defense.”
Team injuries/depth
On handling injuries, Corrao said, “That’s kind of what we do, right? Next guy up. We just got to get the next guy in the room and get him prepared, ready to play.”
Corrao stressed the importance of depth in managing player load over a long season.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to be healthy, fresh in weeks 15, 16, 17, going into the playoffs,” Corrao said.
Corrao praised linebacker Trevor Nowaske’s growth, noting, “The game is not as fast for him right now. He’s a veteran, right? He’s not a young rookie.”
On Barnes’ recovery from injury, Corrao shared, “You don’t really make those judgments until we actually line up and play real football. When we lined up out there and we see how it is and we’re playing real opponents, yeah, we’re really happy with that.”
Defense
Regarding defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, Corrao said, “It’s an extension of what’s been going on in the linebacker room. There’s a level of detail, a focus on making sure that the standards are upheld and accountability with players, coaches, everybody.”
Corrao discussed the strategy around using a QB spy, explaining, “I think what I would argue I’m still against is when you just line up and say here’s what we are and that’s the spy and the other team knows exactly.”
He added, “The advantage we have to gain back is keeping the quarterback and the play callers on their toes so that we can’t telegraph what we’re doing.”
Analytics
On analytics, Corrao said, “I’m not a numbers guy. That was handled by other people, and that was just a way for the way I was able to work with both sides of the ball in that previous role.”
Corrao praised defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, calling him “an outstanding defensive line coach that gets his guys the information they need. The guys won a Super Bowl and have been on a number of high-caliber championship-level defenses.”
Corrao emphasized the value of a varied linebacking corps for disguising defensive schemes. “It allows us to present different pictures to keep them off balance.”
Jack Campbell
Finally, Corrao spoke about linebacker Jack Campbell‘s toughness and leadership. “That guy, Jack Campbell, is a football player, and everything about him is football. He creates a standard.”
He concluded, “Our whole goal is to be a pack of wolves out there trying to go get whoever’s got the ball, go get him, and get the ball out. And I think Jack does an outstanding job of being a leader of that pack.”
History
The upcoming challenge against Cleveland’s vaunted defense, backed by Myles Garrett, will be a tall task for the Lions’ offense.
Detroit leads the all-time series against the Browns, but the history between these two franchises includes four championship games, with the Lions’ last championship win coming in 1957.
The teams’ first significant matchups occurred in the 1950s, with both franchises frequently battling for league supremacy.
Detroit has won 19 of the 24 total games played between the two teams, although the Browns have won the most recent game, 13-10, inside Huntington Bank Field.
Here’s a fun fact: the Ravens were originally the Browns before they relocated from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1995, leading to a controversial decision where the city was able to retain the team name, while Charm City received the expansion team’s name.
With revenge on their minds, the Lions will host the Browns on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, inside Ford Field at 1 p.m.
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