As a whole, the defensive front of the Cleveland Browns has had its struggles in the first two weeks of the season, getting steamrolled in Week 1 against the Jaguars but bouncing back with a better showing against Tampa Bay last week. It’s a group that is still getting adjusted to life without Myles Garrett, of course, and that has shown up in their play. But while Garrett’s absence is obviously felt across the line, one player stepping in to fill the void has been second-year lineman Mason Graham.
The Browns picked Graham at No. 5 overall last year, and Graham had some up-and-down performances as a rookie. But he showed flashes of developing into a potential star, and he carried that into training camp and the preseason. It typically takes a couple of years for young defensive linemen to master their craft, but Graham is already showing signs of doing just that.
Teams are still taking him lightly, though. And the coaches want him to see that as “disrespect.”
Mason Graham ‘Unbelievable in His Preparation’
This week, ahead of the team’s Week 3 showdown against the Panthers, the Browns had ample praise for how Graham has developed so far.
Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg was asked about what Graham has been doing well, and said: “A lot. A lot. I pause just to take a second, because he’s unbelievable with his preparation. He’s incredible. Run pass, situational. He’s a high-level communicator within the defensive line and for the defense. And he’s putting it together with his footwork, his hands and his mind and we’re seeing the production. It’s really cool, and it’s only going to continue to get better.”
Browns Must Make Teams Pay for 1-on-1 Matchup
Graham, it seems, has begun to understand how important he is for the Browns now, not only because of his high draft status but because he can be the anchor for the team without Garrett. With edge rusher Jared Verse struggling in his first two games, Graham has 2.0 sacks to his credit already.
Coach Todd Monken conceded that Graham had his struggles in Week 1, but that he got better in Week 2.
The key is getting Graham to keep improving and forcing defenses to pay for underestimating him, Monken said: “I think players that are as diligent as Mason is, and loves football, is going to continue to get better. He’s still a young player, and you can see that with our interior guys. And we talked about it today in the team meeting a little bit ago, when they slide away from you and you get one-on-one, it’s the ultimate sign of disrespect.
“I mean, you’ve got to win your one-on-one matchups. We’re built for our explosive interior players to be able to win those matchups. And we won more of them than we did the week before. And that’s going to continue because I know our guys will continue to work, and they’ll continue to improve.”
Browns Urge Rising 1st-Round Pick to Feed off ‘Disrespect’