Can you believe it? Training camp is just two weeks away. It's been another busy offseason for the Browns, and we'll start seeing how all the new and refined pieces come together very soon. We're preparing for it all with a comprehensive preview of every position on the roster, starting with the defensive line.
The Defensive Line
Defensive tackles
Dalvin Tomlinson
Jordan Elliott
Maurice Hurst
Trysten Hill
Perrion Winfrey
Siaki Ika
Michael Dwumfour
Defensive ends
Myles Garrett
Za'Darius Smith
Ogbo Okoronkwo
Isaiah Thomas
Alex Wright
Isaiah McGuire
Sam Kamara
Lonnie Phelps
View the top photos of four-time Pro Bowl DE Myles Garrett from the 2022 season
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins on November 13, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium. The Browns lost 17-39.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 8, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium. The Browns lost 14-28.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers on September 11, 2022 at Bank of America Stadium. The Browns won 26-24.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football on October 31, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders on January 1, 2023 at FedEx Field. The Browns won 24-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders on January 1, 2023 at FedEx Field. The Browns won 24-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders on January 1, 2023 at FedEx Field. The Browns won 24-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders on January 1, 2023 at FedEx Field. The Browns won 24-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns on December 24, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 10-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns on on September 18, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 31-30.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on December 11, 2022 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns lost 23-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) after a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns on October 9, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 30-28.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans on December 4, 2022 at NRG Stadium. The Browns won 27-14.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on December 11, 2022 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns lost 23-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 8, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium. The Browns lost 14-28.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on January 8, 2023 at Acrisure Stadium. The Browns lost 14-28.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on December 17, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-3.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers on September 11, 2022 at Bank of America Stadium. The Browns won 26-24.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans on December 4, 2022 at NRG Stadium. The Browns won 27-14.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns on November 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 23-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns on November 27, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 23-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills on November 20, 2022 at Ford Field. The Browns lost 23-31.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football on October 31, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) after a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football on October 31, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football on October 31, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns on October 16, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 38-15.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football on October 31, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns on October 16, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 38-15.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns on October 9, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 30-28.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football on September 22, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 29-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football on September 22, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 29-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns on on September 18, 2022 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns lost 31-30.
What we know: Both defensive line position groups will look significantly different than a year ago, and there's a long list of reasons to believe they'll be a much stronger unit as a result. Garrett and Smith have the potential to be the most destructive edge rusher tandem in the league, while Dalvin Tomlinson will provide a much-needed lift in the interior that should help the Browns perform much stronger against the run. There's plenty of youth in the group, too — Ika, Winfrey, McGuire, Wright and Thomas are all first- or second-year players — and the Browns should have opportunities for all of them to show growth. Keep an eye on Okoronkwo, too, as he could be a top breakout candidate after showing explosiveness with five sacks in the second half of last season in Houston.
What we don't know: We saw Smith take reps as an interior lineman during minicamp while Okoronkwo played on the outside. That package will allow the Browns to deploy their best possible D-Line grouping, but how much will they actually use that package during the regular season? Hill and Hurst are also two intriguing offseason signings to follow throughout training camp — both players were highly touted once they were drafted but haven't produced much due to injuries, and the Browns are giving them another chance to ignite their careers.
The X-Factor: Smith. For the Browns' defensive line to be as dominant as it needs to be, Smith needs to continue playing at the same Pro Bowl level he's been at with double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons. He's shown no signs of slowing down after another Pro Bowl year last season.
The biggest number: 44. That's how many sacks the Browns would've had last season if you add Smith's 10 sacks to the total, which would've propelled the Browns from 27th in the league in sacks to 10th. That shows just how much of a difference he could make to a group that could see everyone's sack numbers improve under the rush-friendly schemes of new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who has a long track record of producing top-performing defensive lines.
Says it all: "We'll find our personality in training camp, and that's part of what training camp is going to be for us, is finding out what our best combinations are and how guys play off of each other. That's going to be important. I think that we do have some flexibility there, particularly a guy like Za'Darius Smith, who's a very effective inside rusher. We have some young, developing players here that have had good offseasons so far. Alex Wright and Jordan Elliott, both of them have stood out in a lot of stuff and I think both of them can contribute inside. But flexibility is important for matchups in the game. Moving guys around a little bit. You'll probably see a little bit more moving guys around, maybe, than they've done in the past, but it's all about just creating good matchups and finding out what the guys can do the best." - Jim Schwartz on how he feels about the upgraded pass rush
How many were kept on the initial 53-man roster last year?: 10
