Earlier today, we analyzed the snap counts for the Cleveland Browns offense in their first preseason game against the St. Louis Rams. Now, it's time to turn our attention to the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive Line
Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
DL | Hall Davis | 33 | 49% | 1 tackle (1 combined). 1 pass defended. |
DL | Brian Sanford | 29 | 43% | 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined). 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QB hits. |
DL | Armonty Bryant | 24 | 35% | 2 tackles, 1 assist (3 combined). |
DL | John Hughes | 17 | 25% | 1 tackle, 2 assists (3 combined). |
DL | Billy Winn | 16 | 24% | 1 tackle (1 combined). 1 pass defended. |
DL | Ishmaa'ily Kitchen | 13 | 19% | 2 tackles, 1 assist (3 combined). 1 TFL. |
DL | Phil Taylor | 6 | 9% | 1 tackle (1 combined). 1 forced fumble. |
DL | Desmond Bryant | 6 | 9% | 0 tackles. 1 QB hit. |
DL | Nick Jean-Baptiste | 5 | 7% | 1 assist (1 combined). |
DL | Ahtyba Rubin | 4 | 6% | No stats registered. |
Before the game, one of the players I said I wanted to look out for was Sanford, and he put together a pretty productive day, as did Davis. Maybe that's because both of them had a lot of playing time. Winn and Kitchen each had big hits that would make Horton proud. The starters did their job and barely saw the field. Jean-Baptiste's roster odds don't look good with how few snaps he saw.
Outside Linebacker
Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
OLB | Kendrick Adams | 34 | 50% | No stats registered. |
OLB | Barkevious Mingo | 32 | 47% | 0 tackles. 2 QB hits. |
OLB | Justin Staples | 26 | 38% | 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined). 1 interception, 1 pass defended. |
OLB | Quentin Groves | 24 | 35% | 1 tackle (1 combined). 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QB hit. |
OLB | Jabaal Sheard | 10 | 15% | 1 assist (1 combined). 1 QB hit. |
OLB | Paul Kruger | 9 | 13% | No stats registered. |
I kept double checking, but it seems correct: Adams played more than any player in the front seven, yet did not record anything on the stat sheet. It happens. Mingo also saw significant action and had two hits on quarterbacks. Staples had a nice little homecoming, and Groves showed the same effective pass rush he's had in camp.
Inside Linebacker
Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
ILB | L.J. Fort | 49 | 49% | 3 assists (3 combined). |
ILB | Justin Cole | 44 | 44% | 2 assists (2 combined). 2 QB hits, 1 interception, 1 pass defended. |
ILB | Tommy Smith | 26 | 38% | 2 tackles (2 combined). |
ILB | Tank Carder | 18 | 26% | 2 tackles (2 combined). |
ILB | James-Michael Johnson | 15 | 22% | 2 assists (2 combined). |
ILB | D'Qwell Jackson | 9 | 13% | 2 assists (2 combined). |
ILB | Craig Robertson | 8 | 12% | 1 assist (1 combined). |
This position, along with safety, was rather uneventful in terms of statistics. Cole, who came over from the Rams, had a nice day against his former team, and that is without counting the Hail Mary interception that padded his stats. Smith had a couple of nice hard tackles.
Safety
Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
S | Johnson Bademosi | 42 | 62% | 2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined). |
S | Josh Aubrey | 33 | 49% | 1 tackle, 2 assists (3 combined). |
S | Kenronte Walker | 26 | 38% | 2 tackles (2 combined). |
S | Kent Richardson | 26 | 38% | 1 tackle, 1 assists (2 combined). |
S | Tashaun Gipson | 9 | 13% | No stats registered. |
I have to go back and look who did what, but Kosar kept saying our safeties were doing a pretty poor job down the field. Bademosi saw more action than anyone else, so if he was responsible for some of those big plays, that's good news for Gipson's chances of winning a starting role.
Cornerback
Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
CB | Akeem Auguste | 59 | 87% | 4 tackles (4 combined). 1 pass defended. |
CB | Abdul Kanneh | 44 | 65% | 2 assists (2 tackles). |
CB | Trevin Wade | 41 | 60% | 3 tackles, 1 assist (4 combined). 1 pass defended. |
CB | Vernon Kearney | 23 | 34% | No stats registered. |
CB | Buster Skrine | 9 | 13% | 0 tackles. 1 fumble recovery. |
CB | Joe Haden | 9 | 13% | 1 tackle (1 combined). |
Someone had to see a lot of reps with both Owens and McFadden sidelined, and Auguste was that guy. After Haden and Skrine left, he played every single snap the rest of the way. In a way, that has to show that the coaching staff has him ranked ahead of Kanneh and Kearney. Wade was the nickel corner to start the game and played after the starters left too. He was ridiculed by fans for his play, but again, thanks to the poor camera angles shown, I can't say if he was to blame or it the safeties were at fault and just made him look bad. I liked what I saw in a limited amount of snaps for Skrine.