Time for Browns defense to earn its money
The Cleveland Browns will spend 54 percent of their payroll on the defensive side of the ball this year, the only team in the NFL that will spend more than half of its cap space trying to stop the other team from moving the ball, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Browns have a league-high $82.1 million currently invested in a defense that finished last season ninth in the NFL in points allowed at 21.1 per game, tied for 10th by allowing opposing offenses to convert on just 38 percent of third-down attempts, was second in interceptions with 21, was eighth in pass yards allowed per game at 224.5, and was tops in the league in allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 57.1 percent of their pass attempts.
Of course, that same defense was last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, 27th in yards per carry, and 28th in runs of 20-plus yards. Opposing teams ran the ball 500 times on the Browns last year, and on 87 of those rushes they gained eight yards or more.
If the Browns are going to have any success in 2015, it is time for the defense to start earning those paychecks. We take a deeper look in our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.
Red Right 88 