Garrett isn’t the lone talent on Cleveland’s defensive front anymore. LB Carson Schwesinger won Rookie of the Year, DT Mason Graham had a very good first season, DTs Maliek Collins and Mike Hall Jr. helped push the pocket from the inside while DEs Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, and Cameron Thomas provided pressure from the other defensive end spot.
The strong defensive line mimics the two previous Super Bowl champions: the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles. Defense can still win championship (games). Seattle and Philadelphia controlled games through their defensive lines while having much more support from their respective offenses.
Interestingly, the Browns are setup well for the big games because of Garrett and company. The problem is that they do not have the offense to help get them there. GM Andrew Berry has made it clear that an offensive upgrade, starting with the hiring of Monken, is the team’s priority this offseason. If Cleveland can get good play on offense, the defense is ready to win at a high level.
Houston, like the two previous Super Bowl champions, was also led by a dynamic defensive line.
Cleveland’s roster needs a lot of help on the offensive side of the ball but they at least have setup the kind of defensive presence needed to win the biggest games, if they can get there. That is a big if but enjoyable for Browns fans to think about.