The Cleveland Browns have a few pressing needs to address this off-season. The quarterback situation is far from settled, so there’s one need.
The need for—at least—one more reliable set of hands is another desirable.
But the biggest team need has arguably got to be an edge rusher.
The Juqua Parker experiment didn’t work at all leaving Jabaal Sheard the only D-line rusher worth speaking of, and the linebacker situation is about to get worse for the Cleveland Browns.
Chris Gocong is a recovering $9.51 million dollar Achilles tendon patient with an uncertain future. Scott Fujita’s career (33) is in serious jeopardy after suffering several neck stingers in 2012, and the depth chart isn’t exactly what I would call reliable.
With everything considered, I believe the Cleveland Browns target an OLB with their first round pick, and that consideration could be LSU’s Barkevious Mingo.
A lean, wide-armed specimen, Mingo is the sort of player who is a cut above the average edge-rusher even as a linebacker.
From the snap Mingo combines his shear speed and raw power to blow through even the toughest and most inert defender en-route to the quarterback.
Mingo also offers a lot of variety and experience as a DE with plenty of experience playing in a three-man front, which is perfect now that the Browns are switching to a 3-4 alignment exclusively.
The Browns weren’t a terrible bunch on defense, but they were victims to a few deficiencies and the OLB/DE position is one of them.
Targeting this area first will do wonders for this defense.
From there I can easily see the Browns targeting another solid corner (Logan Ryan, Rutgers) followed by a WR (Kenny Stills, Oklahoma) then a QB candidate (Landry Jones, Oklahoma if available).
What do you think Cleveland? And I’m not asking in regard to my extremely hopeful 2nd, 3rd and 4th picks, but rather the Browns’ biggest need? Let me know in the comment section.
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| NFC North 2013 team Needs: |
GREEN BAY PACKERS MINNESOTA VIKINGS CHICAGO BEARS DETROIT LIONS |
| NFC East 2013 Team Needs: | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES DALLAS COWBOYS WASHINGTON REDSKINS NEW YORK GIANTS |
| NFC South 2013 Team Needs: | ATLANTA FALCONS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS CAROLINA PANTHERS TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS |
| NFC West 2013 Team Needs: | ST. LOUIS RAMS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ARIZONA CARDINALS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS |
| AFC North 2013 Team Needs: | BALTIMORE RAVENS CINCINATTI BENGALS CLEVELAND BROWNS PITTSBURGH STEELERS |
| AFC East 2013 Team Needs: | NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS NEW YORK JETS MIAMI DOLPHINS BUFFALO BILLS |
| AFC South 2013 Team Needs: | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HOUSTON TEXANS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TENNESSEE TITANS |
| AFC West 2013 Team Needs: | DENVER BRONCOS SAN DIEGO CHARGERS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS OAKLAND RAIDERS |
