Welcome to this VIP series where I will be taking a look at the upcoming Cleveland Browns players who are either free agents this offseason or could realistically be extended.
Each time I will be looking at a different player working from the offensive side of the ball to the defensive side.
Here is a list of who I intend to cover:
Amari Cooper (early extension)
Harrison Bryant
Za’Darius Smith
Maurice Hurst
Jordan Elliott
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (early extension)
Anthony Walker
Sione Takitaki
Greg Newsome (5th year option/early extension)
Matthew Adams
Mike Ford
Grant Delpit
Rodney McLeod
Corey Bojorquez
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Cleveland Browns Run Game Opportunity vs. the Denver Broncos Defense
The Denver Broncos defense has been one of the league’s worst thus far this season. This could spell an opportunity for the Cleveland Browns rushing attack in Week 12.
The Cleveland Browns rushing attack struggled to generate meaningful production on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The ground game generated a 39 percent success rate (56th percentile), 3.4 yards per attempt, and 96 total yards (78 of which came after contact).
Part of the lack of efficiency was due to the Steelers stacking the box with 8+ defenders when the opportunity presented itself from a situational and personnel perspective.
In fact, Browns running back Jerome Ford faced eight or more defenders on 33.3 percent of his carries (6th-highest) and fellow back Kareem Hunt faced the same situation on 50.0 percent of his attempts (3rd-highest).
As a result, the team posted is fewest rushing yard total of since Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens. However, on a season-to-date basis, the Browns still rank in the top-half of many rushing metrics, including an 11th-overall running grade (80.9) and the 15th-highest EPA* per attempt (-0.081).
With that said, Week 12 against the Denver Broncos could spell opportunity for a “get right” game.
Thus far in the 2023 regular season, the Broncos defense has allowed the 3rd-highest EPA per rush (-0.017) and the 4th-highest rush success rate (43.3 percent), as well as a bottom-5 ranking in explosive run rate allowed:
More specifically, looking at the Mile High defense’s performance over the four-game winning streak, the unit has finished with the following metrics and rankings against the run on a game-to-game basis.
