Browns Defense
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Browns Defense
Defensive Coordinator: Ray Horton
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Fantasy Football Outlook: While I like what the Browns are doing as a team, we should look to them as a squad that’s about a year away from being a fantasy relevant option on defense. It’s possible this group will gel to the point they give us some quality performances in the second half of the season, but have low expectations for them on draft day.
New defensive coordinator Ray Horton has proven his worth in this league with stints in Pittsburgh and most recently as Arizona’s defensive coordinator the last two seasons. I was surprised the Cardinals didn’t hold onto Horton and possibly make him the new head coach but here we are and Cleveland is fortunate to have him.
With that said, the team will be switching over to a 3-4 base defense and their personnel is still probably better suited for a 4-3 base. Again this will be an interesting team to keep an eye on during the season, but let’s keep them on the waiver wire when focusing on team defenses in summer drafts.
| Sacks | Int’s | Fumbles | Avg PA | |
| 2013 Projected Stats | 41 | 14 | 16 | 24.1 |
2013 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: ADP's | Rankings | Mocks | Cheat Sheets + Auctions
To help you get ready for draft day you will notice articles for ADP advice, cheat sheets, mock drafts and projected stats for the Browns team defense here. During the season, you can also find regular weekly ranking articles at this section as well.
Summer of 2012: Fantasy Projections
A defense on the rise took a huge blow at the start of May when defensive tackle Phil Taylor tore his biceps. Likely done for the year, the Browns will be hurting up the middle without him.
While the Browns defense should be respectable, they won’t be worth looking at as a team defense for fantasy leagues. Maybe the occasional start off the waiver wire against a weak opponent.
Summer of 2011: Fantasy Projections
I must admit I’m not a fan of what Mike Holmgren and upper management are doing with this team. In year two, they are now moving to a 4-3 defense after spending years in the 3-4 defense. It seems to me that the bad franchise stay bad because they have a lack of identity and are always changing, who they are will the next group of “molders” that come along in the franchise.Maybe the Browns’ defense will amount to something but for this season they will probably struggle in a new defense, and they won’t be worth having in fantasy leagues until they prove themselves.
| Sacks | Int’s | Fumbles | Avg PA | |
| 2011 Projected Stats | 27 | 18 | 11 | 22.4 |
2010 Preview
That said, it will probably take another year before the Browns are truly ready to make a run at being a top twelve defense.
2010 Fantasy Football Outlook
2009 Fantasy Year In Review: Eric Mangini was supposed to make the Browns defensive group better, but instead it seemed like they went backwards. For the year, this group was 29th against the pass and 28th against the run. Amazingly, they did put together 40 sacks on the season, and they had four special teams’ touchdowns (Hello Joshua Cribbs).
Thankfully at the end of last year it looked like this group was finally able to apply what Mangini was trying to get across to them so that is encouraging.
Audio: Browns Team Defense | 2010 NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings
2010 NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings: Cleveland had a bunch of draft picks this year, and they needed all of them to fill the many holes this team has.
For all the talent, they brought in from the draft I was disappointed they let go of veterans Kamerion Wembley and Corey Williams. It’s hard to believe a defense is getting better when they draft players to fill the gaps left behind by those they’ve let go. Adding talent onto what they already had would have been nice to see.
If the Browns post a respectable year on defense it will be a credit to the coaching staff and how they have selected players in the draft.
Assets
- Young Talent
- Best Return Man In Football
Liabilities
- Will Go Through Growing Pains
- Not Enough Turnovers
