We're less than two weeks out from the Browns' first training camp under head coach Hue Jackson.
As such, we'll dive deep into each position group and analyze what we'll be looking for when practice resumes July 29.
We looked at the offensive line on Friday. Now let's turn our attention to the defensive line.
THE DEFENSIVE LINE
The cast
Desmond Bryant (expected to miss 2016 season with torn pectoral)
Danny Shelton
Xavier Cooper
John Hughes III
Jamie Meder
Dylan Wynn
Carl Nassib
Kyle Rose
Nile Lawrence-Stample
Nick Hayden (former Cowboys starter signed with the Browns Friday)
What happened at OTAs? Under first-year defensive line coach Robert Nunn, who previously spent the past six seasons with the New York Giants, the Browns defensive line got after it in offseason workouts. Danny Shelton said he's ready to assume a leadership role in the room, while Xavier Cooper and John Hughes made their cases for why they could see significant playing time next season.
Under the radar: Cooper and Hughes have quietly made names for themselves as steady, reliable players and both could play key roles on the defensive line in 2016. It should also be interesting to see how Meder and Wynn — two relatively young players — push the likes of Shelton, Cooper and Hughes in camp. Same goes for Rose and Lawrence-Stample.
Variables to consider: After it was announced Desmond Bryant underwent pectoral surgery last week, the Browns will likely be without the veteran defensive lineman for much of the 2016 season. So who steps up? Also, how will Danny Shelton and Xavier Cooper perform in Year Two? Shelton, the 2015 first-round draft pick, his dropped considerable weight to put himself in a position to be an impact player this season. And Cooper, the former Washington State standout, could very well find himself as a starter now that Bryant will be out for some time. How will Nassib, the third-round draft pick from Penn State, bolster Cleveland's pass rush? What kind of depth will the Browns have at the position? Keep an eye on these things as we enter training camp.
Quote to note: "We have a way we do it, a way we're going to do things and a way we're going to react to things," he said. "We're going to work hard — we'll have fun — but we're going to work hard and the guys have bought into that." — Browns DL coach Robert Nunn in June
How many were kept last year?: Eight on the 53-man roster
