AFC Royalty: Chiefs......and then Browns?

This off-season has been key

By Barry Shuck May 28, 2021, 10:24am EDT

Don’t look now, but there are numerous media outlets who like what GM Andrew Berry has done this off-season.

Beginning with the defense.

The offense was already a tight unit, but the Achilles heel was offensive line depth last season. Thankfully, four COVID opt-outs from last year – guards Drew Forbes (6’-5”, 308 pounds) and Colby Gossett (6’-5”, 330 pounds) are now available.

Berry signed OT Greg Senat (6’-6”, 305 pounds) in free agency and then selected OT James Hudson (6’-4”, 313 pounds) out of Cincinnati in the fourth-round of the NFL draft.

The defense needed quite a few new bodies, and Berry has once again supplied quite a few new bodies.

The defensive backfield was the Number 1 target. In free agency, S John Johnson and CB Troy Hill were signed. Plus, cornerbacks CB Brian Allen and A.J. Green were re-signed. Berry then drafted CB Greg Newsome in the first-round, plus S Richard LeCounte in Round 5. As a side note, second-round pick linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah measures out at 6’-2” and 216 pounds. DC Joe Woods uses the 4-2-5 in two-thirds of his defensive formations and may have JOK in mind for a hybrid linebacker/safety position.

The linebacker position was also revamped and this year should sport Jacob Phillips, Malcolm Smith and Anthony Walker, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, as starters.

Only one defensive line starter from the 2020 remains. Pro Bowler Myles Garrett will hopefully get some much needed help from DE’s Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley, both former first-round draft picks. The DT position will definitely be two new name tags this year with Jordan Elliott, Malik Jackson, Andrew Billings, undrafted free agent Marvin Wilson plus fifth-round pick Tommy Togiai as the new recruits and front-runners to man these two spots.

The question has been – where are the holes now with the Browns?

Can Cleveland compete with the AFC elite clubs such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills?

As Jim Rome said, “The AFC Championship Game preview is Week 1. Browns at KC.”

The Chiefs are AFC Royalty.

This year will most likely become Kansas City’s most challenging year getting back to the Super Bowl with the emergence of the Bills, Ravens - and now the Browns. Monty Williams once said, “Everything you want, is on the other side of hard.”

Numerous media outlets have also taken notice of the Browns’ assent. The talking heads seem to be talking Cleveland Browns football