Don't forget about LBs

It was blatantly obvious from the initial game of the 2020 National Football League season that the Browns would have to flat outscore opponents to win because their defense was -- trying to be kind here -- awful. Sorry, I couldn't.

Relying heavily on marginal players with one-year, prove-it deals, that side of the football failed spectacularly. The offense had to rescue their defensive brethren on a weekly basis. Choosing the over in a Browns game on the over/under became a weekly ritual.

It thus became just as obvious that General Manager Andrew Berry, who skillfully crafted what turned out to be a dangerous high-powered offense last season, needs to balance the talent scale by addressing the defense this season.

The big question is just how the GM is going to cobble together what fans hope is the final stage of building an annual contending team. Hopefully, it will not be a repeat of 2020's bargain basement defense.

Too many holes reside there, Besides defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward, there isn't much there there when the opposition owns the football. And Berry is saddled with a defensive coordinator madly in love with a 4-2-5 base.

Joe Woods doesn't appear to rank linebacker as an important position in the grand scheme, probably because the NFL has in the last dozen or so seasons become a pass-first league. Thus Woods' heavy use of members of the secondary in understandable. 

Judging from early indications, the emphasis on personnel this year will be on the defensive line and secondary even though the club lacks a playmaking, game-changing linebacker. No one in the linebackers room, whether it's outside or inside, has played well enough to be considered a difference maker.

B. J. Goodson played . . . well . . . he played all right. He did very little that stood out except maybe log more than 90% of the snaps. Same story with modestly-used youngsters Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson and rookie Jacob Phillips. There is little about which to get excited with this crew.

Berry instead is looking for a partner for Garrett on the opposite side of the line as well as help in the secondary. No quarrel with another edge rusher or two. But with corner Greedy Williams and free safety Grant Delpit ready to return after missing the entire 2020 season, that part of the back seven should be in decent shape.

Berry knows a strong, consistent pass rush makes the secondary's job that much easier. The domino effect of making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable in the pocket leads to turnovers. 

But the play of the linebackers cannot be understated. Good ones can make a huge difference. A perfect example is Lavonte David's contribution to the solid defensive effort the Tampa Bay Buccaneers displayed in romping over Kansas City in the Super Bowl.

As Berry scours the free-agent market and plots his strategy for the college football draft late next month, it is hoped he will not ignore linebacker. It is also hoped he isn't too sanguine about what he has now at the position. If he is, that's a big mistake.

With the exception of Garrett and Ward, the defense needs a complete front-to-back overhaul with money not a factor. It'll take more than linemen and secondary personnel to do the job. Minimizing the linebacker position is the wrong approach.

For the first time since arriving back in the NFL nearly a generation ago, the Browns are finally in position and primed to make a difference. It would be disappointing if moves they make in the next several months prove unwise.