Who Is Best Browns Defensive Player Since 1960?

Sometimes arguments between friends make their way into what we right about. A group of our friends were talking about the Cleveland Browns’ defensive prospects this season under new coordinator Jim Schwartz, and the thought arose did the Browns ever have a dominant defense?

Since we talked following the team in 1965, we would say the closest were the defenses of the mid 1980’s, led by cornerbacks Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield. Unfortunately, those defenses really didn’t have a great front seven. It was good, but they weren’t dominant.

The 1987 squad finished second in the NFL in points allowed but were just 20th in sacks. The ’94 Browns allowed the least points in the league, but 7th in yards allowed and sacks. But that was kind of a one-year thing, they finished 17th in points given up in ’93 and 20th in ’95.

That morphed into this question: Who is the best defensive player the Browns have had? We mentioned Len Ford and Bill Willis, both of whom played in the early 50’s, and since no one had seen them play, the inquiry became who is the greatest defensive player Cleveland has had since 1960?

The great offensive players the franchise have had roll off your tongue: Jim Brown, Paul Warfield, Ozzie Newsome, Leroy Kelly, and of course, one of this year’s inductees, Joe Thomas.

Of course, in the fifties, you had Otto Graham, Mac Speedie, Marion Motley, and Dante Lavelli among others.

If you go strictly by Pro Bowl appearances, the leader would be Michael Dean Perry, who made five (1989-1991, 1993-94). Perry ranks 7th all-time on the club’s sack list, and played with the team from 1988-94, before finishing up with Denver and Kansas City.

Seven defenders made four Pro Bowl appearances (we know what people think about that “event” now): Chip Banks, Minnifield, Jerry Sherk, Bill Glass, Jim Houston, Clay Matthews, and current Brown Myles Garrett.

As we said before, Minnifield and Dixon were shutdown cornerbacks, and opposing passers did not want to throw anywhere in their direction. Neither had a lot of interceptions when they played (Dixon had 26, 10th for the franchise, and Minnifield had 20, 13th)

Sherk was known as one of the best tackles in the game before a staph infection derailed what was shaping up to be a dominant career. In addition to the Pro Bowls, he was named first team All Pro by the Associated Press in 1976.

Glass is the all time franchise leader in sacks according to Pro Football Reference (at least for now) with 77.5, done in 94 career games.

Matthews made four straight all star appearances (1985-89) and is second in Browns history in sacks with 75.

Garrett is still compiling numbers. In terms of AP First Team All-NFL, his two honors (’20 and ’21) tie Perry and Dixon among Browns defenders. And barring injury, he will become the franchise’s all-time sack leader this year as he is three behind Glass’ total.

And although there is no Pro Bowl game anymore, no doubt he will continue to add to his appearances, and if he gets to six, he will join Thomas, Brown, Kelly, Lou Groza, Gene Hickerson, and Dick Schafrath with that total. (NOTE: Likely Joel Bitonio as well, he has five currently)

So, what is the answer to the question of who is the Browns’ best defensive player since 1960? Right now, it’s up for debate, but in a year or two, there will be no doubt that it is Myles Garrett.

Signing Garrett Now Absolutely The Correct Move For Browns

A few days ago, we wondered on social media what the reaction around Cleveland would be if the Browns announced they would be unable to re-sign DE Myles Garrett because they simply couldn’t afford it.

It was meant to compare the view of the Browns’ ownership vs. that of the Indians, meaning people just accept the baseball team here cannot afford top players, while we feel they would be outraged in the Haslam family made the same claim.

Later that day, the news hit that the Browns were indeed seeking a long term extension with Garrett, whose contract will end following the 2021 season.

First, the Browns are in a league with a salary cap, and they have plenty of room under said cap, so it would be wise to sign their best defensive player. Second, they understand that Garrett is a star in terms of production.

Garrett has played just three NFL seasons, and already should be considered one of the Browns’ top pass rushers of all time, and when you realize he missed considerable time last season after his suspension, it’s even more impressive.

The former first overall pick is currently seventh in Cleveland history in sacks, despite playing just 37 of a possible 48 games, with 30.5. He averages .82 sacks per game.

The least amount of games played by the six men in front of him is the 41 played by Anthony Pleasant, who has 33.5 in that span, the same average as Garrett.

Of course, Pleasant’s tenure here ended when Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore. He played eight more seasons in the league, ending his career with 58 sacks, which would put him second of the all-time franchise list.

If Garrett gets 10 sacks in the upcoming 2020 season, that would give him 40.5 for his career, making him tied for third on the Browns’ career list, behind only Clay Matthews and Michael Dean Perry.

And if he played all 16 games, he would be there in 53 games, compared to 144 for Matthews and 109 for Perry.

Now we understand the Cleveland franchise hasn’t been blessed with dominant pass rushers since Paul Brown was fired as head coach, and certainly not since sacks were designated as an official statistic.

Since Garrett came into the league in 2017, only ten players have sacked the passer more times than the former Texas A & M standout, and of those ten, only four (Chandler Jones, Aaron Donald, Cameron Jordan, and Danielle Hunter) have totals far ahead of the Cleveland player.

His 30.5 total compares favorably to that of prime pass rushers like Von Miller (32.5), Khalil Mack (31.5), and Chris Jones (31). You have to think if Garrett would have completed the season last year, he’d be ahead of that trio.

If you are the Browns, you want to do this sooner than later to help determine your salary structure for next off-season, and you have to think the price of an elite pass rusher may increase, even with the uncertainty of this upcoming season, and whether or not fans will be allowed to attend.

This is absolutely the correct move for the Browns’ front office. Myles Garrett is an elite player, and keeping him in the orange and brown makes perfect sense.

Browns Endless Search…For A Pass Rusher

As a follower of the Cleveland Browns since the mid 1960’s, we are acutely aware that it has been a long time since the team had a solid quarterback.

We are all aware of the great Otto Graham in the 50’s, and Frank Ryan was at the helm for the last Browns’ championship. Ryan was acquired in a trade with the Rams, and took the Browns to the playoffs for the next few years.

He was followed by Bill Nelsen, picked up in a trade with the Steelers, of all teams, and Nelsen led the Browns to two NFC title games in 1968 and 1969, albeit on rickety knees.

Needing a replacement for Nelsen, Cleveland made the ill fated trade for Mike Phipps, dealing Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield, and you can make the argument that deal signaled the end of the halcyon days for the franchise.

Since then, there were a few seasons of greatness from Brian Sipe, including one MVP season in 1980, and then Bernie Kosar arrived and so did three losses in the AFC championship game that will be remembered forever.

However, besides quarterback, there is another thing the Browns haven’t had even dating back to the mid sixties, and that is an elite pass rusher, someone opponents have had to game plan against.

Sure, there have been single years or maybe two straight years where Cleveland has had a guy who can get to the quarterback, but they’ve never had that “guy”.

There was Jack Gregory for a year or two, and the trade in 1980 for Lyle Alzado. Later in the 80’s, Cleveland drafted Chip Banks, who had a troubled career here until he couldn’t get along with Marty Schottenheimer, who traded him to San Diego.

Courtney Brown was supposed to be that guy when he was the first overall pick in 2000, but his knees wouldn’t allow it. Paul Kruger had one year (2014) where he had 11 sacks, but that was an aberration.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a guy you can depend on for 10 sacks every year?

That guy could be Myles Garrett. Many of the draft gurus have compared him to Julius Peppers, and if he could be that, we’ll sign up right now.

Look at the Browns’ all-time sack leaders. Clay Matthews is the leader with 62, but those were accumulated over 15 seasons. Matthews should be enshrined in Canton, but he wasn’t known as a pass rusher.

The others in the top five are Michael Dean Perry (a nose tackle), Rob Burnett, Carl Hairston, and Reggie Camp. The latter three were solid defensive ends, but weren’t players opponents were planning against.

Let’s go back to Peppers, who has accumulated 143.5 sacks in his career. That’s more than double Matthews club record. If Garrett can get half of that total if he is drafted by Cleveland, he would be the new record holder.

So, while we get the “quarterback hysteria”, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who can put pressure on the other team’s passer?

As former Browns GM Ernie Accorsi once said, the two most important players in the NFL are the quarterback, and someone who can get to the other team’s quarterback.