Getty Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns during a game at M&T Bank Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Browns defense has struggled at every level in 2022, including with its ability to bring down opposing quarterbacks.
To be fair, the Browns (2-5) aren’t that far off from a successful season — four of their five losses coming by a combined total of just nine points. The blame can be spread across multiple units, as the secondary has surrendered big plays at crucial moments and QB Jacoby Brissett has thrown two fourth-quarter interceptions in one-score games that essentially guaranteed losses. The coaching staff is also not immune from blame, as head coach Kevin Stefanski’s seat is rumored to be growing hotter with each loss.
If the Browns hope to turn their season around, they must flip the script in parts of the game that were strengths in 2021 but have transformed into weaknesses this season. Chief among those areas is quarterback pressure.
Defensive ends come at a premium in the middle of the season, if they can be found at all. As such, if the Browns want to find a difference maker they will likely need to make a small bet on a player with a history of big production. The top free agent candidate in this regard is perhaps former San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Dee Ford.
Dee Ford Edge Option For Browns After Release by 49ers
GettyPass rushers Dee Ford (left), formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, and Nick Bosa (right) react after a play against the Green Bay Packers.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on Monday published a list of the top five free agents who might be able to help fuel a playoff run for teams on the brink. While it strains credulity to consider the Browns such a franchise because of their win/loss record, it’s fair to say that a play or two could have swung multiple games on the schedule and put Cleveland in a position to make a playoff push.
The only chance the Browns have at that future now, with the return of QB Deshaun Watson still four games away, is to figure out how to win a couple of their upcoming matchups against some of the best competition the league has to offer in the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.
That is where adding a player with upside like Ford’s on the cheap could make a lot of sense for a franchise with more than $33 million in cap space at its disposal.
There aren’t too many impact pass-rushers without an NFL contract right now, but Dee Ford should be on the short list of targets for squads needing some help on the edge.
Ford is one of the more proven options because of the time he spent with both the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
While his production declined because of injuries during his tenure with the Niners, Ford was still a serviceable edge-rusher when he was available in recent years.
Ford should be ready to go if he’s tapped by a contender. Per David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the pass-rusher was given a “good bill of health” before his release this offseason.
Ford, now 31 years old, has suffered from neck and back injuries that limited him to a total of just seven games played over the last two years. He appeared in six games in 2021, amassing 4 quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble.
However, before Ford’s injuries, he produced two campaigns with double-digit sack totals (2016, 2018) and led the league in forced fumbles with seven during the 2018 season. Ford was also selected to the Pro Bowl that year.
For his career, Ford has tallied 159 tackles, 79 quarterback hits, 40.0 sacks, 12 forced fumbles and 7 passes defended, per Pro Football Reference.
Health Has Proven Major Issue For Browns’ Pass Rush All Season
GettyQB Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball while being pressured by DE Jadeveon Clowney of the Cleveland Browns during a game at M&T Bank Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
One of the Browns’ issues on the edge has been health, which makes signing Ford a precarious proposition, to say the least. Jadeveon Clowney has missed nearly half the season with a lingering ankle injury, while Myles Garrett was also sidelined for a game earlier in the year.
Clowney tallied nine sacks last season but has been able to produce just 1.5 sacks through four starts in 2022. Garrett finished third in the NFL with 16.0 sacks last year and has kept relative pace with that mark, tallying six sacks in six starts.
Cleveland amassed 43.0 total sacks in 2021, finishing in a tie for ninth in that category. The Browns have dropped 10 spots on that list into 19th place through seven games in 2022, tallying only 14.0 sacks, per StatMuse.
As a result, the Browns takeaway numbers have also suffered. The team wasn’t a turnover machine last season, finishing in a tie for 21st with just 19 takeaways. Their differential was -3 on the year, good enough for the 20th mark in the NFL, per statistics provided by ESPN.
As mediocre as those statistics are, they look strong in comparison to what Cleveland’s defense has produced this season. The Browns have forced only 6 turnovers through seven games and own a takeaway differential of -4, slotting them in 26th and 28th place in the NFL in those categories, respectively.