Breakdown Part 2

In placing the Browns under a microscope for the 2022 National Football League season, they have been found here lacking in the offensive essentials that could lead to a return to the postseason. Now it's time to examine the defense and special teams.

In what was easily the surprise of last season's extremely disappointing season, the lone bright spot was a defense that recovered beautifully from a rocky beginning and ranked among the top 10 teams in the second half when the games counted the most.

After the first six games of the season, during which the Cleveland defense upchucked 151 points (25.6 a game), fans began writing obituaries for defensive coordinator Joe Woods. All they needed was a little more patience for the second-year coordinator.

That's because Woods turned his unit from Mr. Hyde into Dr. Jekyll and, with one exception, kept the Browns relevant to the point during the season where any kind of spark generated by the offense would have translated into playoff football for the second season in a row.

Working with a unit that was almost completely remade by General Manager Andrew Berry, Woods' defense limited the opposition to just 210 points, or 19 a game, the rest of the way. Throw out a 45-7 thrashing by New England in week 10 and the average dives to just 16.5 points a game.

That's what fans can look forward to this season. The best part is a vast majority of that young defense returns. Ostensibly, they can only get better. But they first must overcome a significant weakness that wasn't there last season.

Woods had the luxury the last two seasons of working with a defense that actually stopped the run. They limited the opposition to just 111 and 109 yards a game in those campaigns. Not great, you say? Arguable. Prior to Woods' arrival, the Cleveland defense regurgitated 135 and 145 yards a game the previous two seasons.

But from all indications, a return to an inability to neutralize opposing ground games looms with a very, very questionable defensive tackle corps of Taven Bryan, Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai and rookie Perrion Winfrey. 

Bryan was cut by Jacksonville, Elliott is sliding awfully close to being a bust, Togiai is nothing more than a spot performer and Winfrey, who talks a big game, has a great chance to step up and back it all up. Thus, a return to awful run defense is imminent, offering Woods' biggest challenge this season.

Other than that, the Cleveland defense, which once again will have to rescue the offense most of the season, is solid. 

Whether it's harassing quarterbacks -- 50 sacks is not an unrealistic goal -- with the likes of Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, Chase Winovich and rookie Alex Wright or a very active group of linebackers in Anthony Walker Jr., Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sione Takitaki and Jacob Phillips or one of the best and deepest secondaries in the NFL, this unit has numerous playmakers.

The 10-man secondary, led by native Clevelander Denzel Ward, is very flexible and versatile. Ward, a lockdown cornerback, most likely will pair with Greedy Williams outside with Greg Newsome II, a future Pro Bowler who played outside most of last season, slipping into the slot.

Solid depth off the bench from A.J. Green and rookie Martin Emerson Jr., who also can play the slot, gives Woods some of that versatility with little dropoff in talent.

John Johnson III and the rapidly improving Grant Delpit man the safeties with Ronnie Harrison Jr. often inserted when Woods likes to employ a big three-safety look. 

Special teams this season promise to be more special than last season mainly because Cade York has brought stability -- and an expected abundance of points for a struggling offense -- to the kicking game. It appears the rookie is golden from at least 55 yards and who knows how much beyond that.

The newest punter is Corey Bojorquez, a five-year veteran who averages 45,6 yards a boot, but has landed just 41% of his punts inside the 20-yard line. The latter figure needs to improve. The almost perfect Charley Hughlett returns as the long snapper. Can't remember his last bad snap.

How the return teams perform is the lone mystery in that phase of the game. Last season, those teams ranked among the worst in the NFL. Guess that means it can only get better. 

Next: Predicting the season