Running back Quinshon Judkins had his first practice of the regular season. He could be on pace to play Sunday in Baltimore. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
The Browns know that their defense can’t legitimately be labeled elite until it ends its turnover anemia.
After tying New England for 30th in the NFL with 12 takeaways last year, the Browns kicked off 2025 with another zero-takeaway game against the Bengals.
What’s an elite defense look like? Well, the Ravens had 49 takeaways in their Super Bowl championship season of 2000 and 25 in their 2012 Super Bowl season.
The Browns’ 2023 defense was considered elite by many. Why? They had 28 takeaways, third-most in the NFL.
What else happened in 2023? The Browns’ offense averaged 23.3 points per game, 10th in the NFL.
In the four straight wins piloted by Joe Flacco in December, they averaged 31 points a game. And guess what? In those four games, the Browns’ defense had 11 takeaways.
Chicken or the egg?
Yes, takeaways turn into points. But also the reverse is true. Points – or, more specifically, leads on the scoreboard – turn into defensive takeaways.
“When teams are behind, they have to be potentially a little bit more risky, right?” said defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. “They got to fight for extra yards. They have to put some balls in some harm’s way. They can’t afford just to take the checkdown. They have to be more aggressive to try to score, prop back more, give you more chances for sacks, strips. So, I think all that goes into play.”
Consider these facts:
The Browns held a lead in the Bengals game for exactly 4 minutes, 32 seconds, and they had no defensive takeaways.
In 2024, the Browns played 10 games without holding a single lead. They held a lead in only seven games. Overall, the Browns held leads for only 17.2 percent of the season – 175 minutes, 45 seconds out of a possible 1,020 minutes of actual game time.
And it was one of the worst defensive takeaway seasons in Browns history.
You’ll never hear Schwartz publicly ask the offense for help. But, facts are facts.
“There is nothing like having a team behind that’s forced to catch up because just by definition they have to be a little bit more risky,” Schwartz said. “You’re down two scores in the fourth quarter. You can’t check a ball down. You got to hold it longer or you got to try to fit it in a window maybe that you shouldn’t try to fit it into, which gives you a chance for some turnovers.”
Of course, the Browns have dropped a fair amount of interceptions in the past year, too. So Schwartz isn’t dumping on the offense to correct his defense’s takeaway drought.
“Be good around the quarterback in the pocket, good chance for turnovers there,” he said. “Play physical and get guys to the football. If we do those things, turnovers will come.”
And some leads on the scoreboard would help, too.
Don’t take me there
Schwartz is the only person in the Browns’ building who lived through the 1995 team relocation to Baltimore. In 1995, Schwartz was a scout in Bill Belichick’s personnel department. He then followed the team to Baltimore and served as a defensive assistant on Ted Marchibroda’s coaching staff.
So what is his take on the Ravens celebrating their 30th season Sunday with the Browns in town?
“You know what, let me defer those comments for another time, because that’s not going to matter to anybody on the field,” he said. “It’s not going to matter to our team or their team. You know, people celebrate different things and different timing and everything else, but we’ll keep the focus on the field and the players that are actually going to be playing, not ghosts from 30 years ago.”
Schwartz actually is a native of Baltimore and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland in 1989.
Q getting ready
Running back Quinshon Judkins returned from his disciplinary hearing in New York and had his first full practice with the team on Thursday since being signed, sealed and delivered after missing all of training camp.
The Browns have been noncommittal about Judkins’ play status Sunday in Baltimore. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees had several opportunities on Thursday to tap the brakes on the idea of Judkins playing after only two practices, but he didn’t.
“We’ll take it day-by-day to see how he continues to progress in practice,” Rees said. “You know, it takes some extra work to make sure that we can catch him up after a [missed] Wednesday practice. But Thursdays and Fridays are really pivotal days throughout the week. So, finding ways to make sure that we get him the proper work to give him an opportunity moving forward.”
The Szmyt files
The first 11 questions fired at Bubba Ventrone in his weekly press availability were about kicker Andre Szmyt.
At one point, exasperation with the topic wore on Ventrone’s face.
“When you miss a kick that impacts a game like that … I mean, obviously we know how he feels,” Ventrone said. “And what’s the best thing to do? You’re gonna support the guy that you believe in. So, I think that it’s important that he understands that we support him, and he also understands that we expect him to make his kicks. So, I think that he’s done everything in his power in the last four days to put it to bed, get back to work and get the results we want.”
Brownie bits
Browns players are feeling the disrespect of Las Vegas oddsmakers, who’ve made them 11 ½-point underdogs to the Ravens. Safety Grant Delpit was asked his reaction and he rolled his eyes derisively and said, “Whoop-de-doo.” …
Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger has already received numerous accolades in his first season. Another one: He’s the only rookie player with a regularly scheduled appearance at the locker room podium every week. He’ll face a true test Sunday in spying on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. He said it’s in his mind to never give up on a play because of Jackson’s ability to extend plays. “I'm not stopping until the whistle blows, and even then, sometimes, you keep going until you're sure,” he said …
With Szmyt following a recent Browns bugaboo of missing PATs, the idea of going for 2 points is something to watch. I asked Rees how large is the Browns’ menu of 2-point plays. “One practice this camp, I think we repped six in a practice, and I remember sitting there being like ‘that seems like a lot of 2-point plays’, but throughout the course of a year you’re going to need some. So, I do feel like we have a good plan there,” he said …
Me to Rees: “That guy with the 4.39 40 speed, [Isaiah] Bond. When are we going to see that speed put to use?”
Rees: “We’ll find out I guess.”
Bond was on the field for 21 snaps against the Bengals and had 1 catch on 1 target for five yards.