This is in the running for the most improved group on the team. And with Joe Woods' base defense leaning more to a 4-2-5 than a traditional 4-3-4, competition for playing time will be intense, to say the least. But the best way to bring out the best in your players is to dial up the competition. Let's take a look. My guess the first on the field will be 2020 3rd round pick Jacob Phillips and 2021 free agent acquisition Anthony Walker. Phillips had an up and down rookie season in 2020. He battled injuries, but when he was on the field - he showed enough to the Browns that they feel good about selecting him. His natural speed allows him to track down ball carriers going wide before they get to the corner. Film study is great, and gives you the ability to recognize plays. But recognizing plays and being able to do something about them may be two different things. Jacob has an asset that makes the 4-2-5 work......speed. Anthony Walker came to us from Indianapolis. He was a key cog in their highly regarded defense. He has learned well under All Pro Darius Leonard. He will be a key component for us in pre-snap recognition and then locating personnel where they need to be. I see him as being Joe Woods' QB of the defense on the field. That will be a critical component to making this defense successful. Any other player striving to be part of this room better have his chin strap buckled tight when he steps onto the field - because the competition will be ratcheted up until their nuts hurt. Two core reserves will be, the steal of the draft at no. 52 in my opinion, JOK - and fifth round choice Tony Fields. I completely agree with the coaches and players assessment of JOK's skills as "freakish and explosive". We will see how his game translates to the NFL, but I am tempted to add the term "generational" at this point. With NFL base offenses transitioning more and more from a traditional 2 RB, 1 TE, 2 WR set to a single back and multiple receivers, traditional "thumpers" at LB have become somewhat obsolete. Speed cover guys have become the norm. That is also why I am sure the coaches were thrilled they could snag Jeremiah - it allowed them the flexibility to match multiple receiver offenses with a 4-2-5 oe even a 4-1-2-4 defense. Tony Fields' resume is strong. He is fast, and a sure tackler. But I am sure what grabbed Andrew Berry's attention was he was a highly successful LB in the PAC-12 at Arizona, and then in a second Power 5 conference at West Virginia of the Big 12. Tony's best value to the Browns in year one probably will be on special teams. The final two players in the mix, in my opinion, are third year players Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson. Sione has shown real development as a run stopper, and has has some big interceptions. Mack Wilson is absolutely everything you want in a teammate, but sadly for Mack - the talent around him may just be better, or it could come down to a simple numbers game. I think Mack can play in this league, but it may not be here.

I commonly refer to myself as a womb to the tomb Browns fan. My fandom began as a young lad of 7 or 8 years old in 1965, and has only deepened and the passion has only grown since then. Everyone can appreciate my honesty in saying this..... The Browns have an ELITE starting QB in Baker Mayfield. I honestly think he has grown into a top 5 QB in this league. Yes, I am not joking, and I say this cold stone sober and with a straight face, I put Baker in the club confidently with Mahomes, Rodgers, Wilson, and Brady - and no one else. The proof in the Browns management's belief in Baker's talents showed up in this year's draft. They identified one of Baker's strong talents is his deep ball accuracy. They further saw the WR room of 2020, while productive, was pedestrian by NFL standards. So they brought in the fastest WR in college ball, who showed deep threat promise with an average QB at best at Auburn. And they brought in a RB with the versatility to play WR who has game breaking abilities. I think 2021 will prove to be a giant leap forward for Baker and this offense. First reason is this is the first time Baker will have played in the same offense in consecutive seasons. It is an offense designed by credible NFL coaches, and validated by analytical data. And the fact that the entire offense returns is immense. Everyone will no longer have to think and then react, they can just react because everyone can trust each other will know their assignments and be where they need to be. Decisions will be faster and more natural. I think that 2021 will probably be backup Case Keenum's last one here in Cleveland. I say that with a tinge of apprehension. Should the unthinkable happen, Case is a solid proven veteran. But Baker needs to be extended no later than 2022, and that won't be cheap. The dollars from Case's current deal could be used to offset the cost of that contract. My personal feeling is we certainly have the strongest QB room in our division, and we are in the conversation for the strongest in the league. Your feelings?

This area of the team was the one most in need of an overhaul after 2020. Joe Woods was forced to play a scheme he didn't want to because of injuries, and simply a lack of bodies. No one player or position is ever totally responsible for a loss, but the defensive backfield was rudely exposed in the AFCCG loss to the Chiefs. Andrew Berry was laser focused in his efforts to shore up this group. We were the beneficiaries of the Rams' mismanagement of their top rated defense in 2020. Enter Andrew Berry, the poster boy for GM's who pounce on opportunities when they present themselves. Andrew saw that the Rams had allowed two key performers in their defensive backfield become unrestricted free agents. No bueno, Rams, when Andrew is lurking. The first rebuilding block swiped from the Rams was safety John Johnson III. JJ3 was sold on the idea of an up and coming team who aggressively pursued him because he was wanted and needed. Plus, from JJ's own mouth, he was impressed by what he considered better facilities. And he was BLOWN AWAY by the passion of this fan base - before he even suited up for his first practice. So, he was excited to sign here. Next up was a top rated slot corner - again from the Rams - Troy Hill, who just happens to have strong Northeast Ohio connections (Youngstown). The NFL game has evolved with so many star slot receivers that a star slot corner is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Once he saw his teammate JJ3 sign here, Troy coming home and becoming another key component in this upgraded defense was a foregone conclusion. When the draft arrived, Andrew set the fan favorite for pick 26 aside, and boldly picked Denzel Ward's running mate for the foreseeable future, Nortwestern's Greg Newsome II. We hope to have two NFL caliber studs on the outside now. Our defensive backfield has been massively upgraded. And in 2021, we basically added two extra first round picks who return from injury. Prized 2020 second round safety Grant Delpit returns, and 2019 second round corner Greedy Williams returns. Medical reports on both guys are very promising. Both of these guys rehabbed all year here, and I am pretty sure that they were heavily involved in team meetings. So, they are hardly raw rookies. And Andrew Berry's final piece of good fortune (or thievery, if you wish) was landing Georgia safety Richard LeCounte. He is a physical safety from one of the best defensive backfield in college football last year. I am so stoked to see how this defense, now that Joe Woods has all these weapons at his disposal, will dictate to opposing offenses what they can and cannot run against us on that day. Brooksie's getting all tingly again....