Early look at the Detroit Lions 2017 opponents: Cleveland Browns
By Ash Thompson
Cornerbacks
Joe Hayden is healing well. He is the best player in the Browns secondary when healthy and it is not even close. Hayden underwent groin surgery after the season. He has said that he feels healthy going into training camp. The team extended Jamar Taylor for three seasons to be his battery mate on the outside. He is a more than adequate second corner for the Browns. Briean Boddy-Calhoun looks and plays like a stereotype nickel corner. He was a ballhawk in college. He carried that over to the Browns in 2016 with three interceptions in 2016. The Browns are equipped to handle the Lions wide receiver group.
Safety
The Browns doubled down at strong safety by drafting Jabrill Peppers in the first round and trading for Calvin Prior this offseason. Prior will likely be their starter at strong safety, leaving Peppers‘ role unclear.
They have also discussed a transition to safety with cornerback Jason McCourty. That would open more options up for the team if it worked. The Browns do not have a starting caliber free safety if it doesn’t. They don;t even have a particularly good backup free safety.
Specialists
Britton Colquitt was the Browns punter last season and the team has not brought in competition for him. He held down the role for six seasons in Denver, having punted over 100 times in 2011. Cody Parkey made 80% of his field goals last year, but he has yet to match the 88.9% he posted as a rookie in 2014.
Zane Gonzalez joined the team in the seventh round of the draft. Gonzalez has OCD which way have led to his success in college. He hit 92% of his field goals as a senior and recorded 72.8% touchbacks on his kickoffs. It is likely Gonzales takes the job, and holds it down for a long time.
The Browns return jobs will almost assuredly belong to Jabrill Peppers. Part of what made him such an intriguing prospect was his special teams acumen. Until he takes the strong safety job full time, and perhaps even after, he should get the gig.
Next: Detroit Lions Opponents: The Green Bay Packers
In 2017 the Detroit Lions are ahead of the Browns in terms of their rosters. They are further along the path toward playoff contention. This game on paper looks like an easy Lions victory, but as all Lions fans know, the term “easy Lions victory” is an oxymoron. The Browns will likely not be as bad as everyone thinks because they’ve built a pretty good foundation in the trenches on both sides of the ball.