CLEVELAND — As the Cleveland Browns returned to the practice field in Berea for their second week of organized team activities on Wednesday, a familiar face that wasn’t there during the first week arrived. That face was All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett.
Garrett met with the media on Wednesday and touched upon a number of topics, including the return of Jadeveon Clowney to the team. Garrett was asked about how hard he had to recruit Clowney (not very) and what he thinks of the pair amongst the NFL’s best pass-rushing duos.
“We’re probably the best duo in the league, as far as getting pressure,” Garrett told reporters.
That sparked the question of which duo is the best on the Browns? Is it Garrett and Clowney or is it at a different position group? There are a number of different options, including an unproven one in Cleveland.
Let’s take a look at the best duos in Cleveland right now.
Garrett and Clowney
Last season, the pair accounted for 25 total sacks in 31 total games played.
Clowney had his best season in quite some time while playing alongside Garrett and should be poised to repeat, if not improve upon his numbers from 2021. As for Garrett, he was one of the best defenders in the NFL last season and should be able to take his game to yet another level as he continues to ascend into his prime years.
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt as a duo is an interesting thought due to the fact that the pair very rarely seem to spend time on the field together. That may change this year as the Browns offense should look much different in year three under head coach Kevin Stefanski than it did in the first two seasons.
Even if they don’t, it’s difficult to find another pairing of running backs as good as these two. Chubb is without question one of the best in the entire NFL, while Hunt is a former rushing champion that still is good enough in his own right to start on over half the teams in the NFL.
Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller
No, listing a pair of guards on this list isn’t the most glamorous thing, but that doesn’t mean they don’t belong.
Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller are two of the five best guards in the NFL. The debate begins with where exactly amongst their position they rank, not whether they’re elite. Both Bitonio and Teller were rewarded for their play last season with contract extensions, and Bitonio has a case as the second-best player the Browns have had since their return in 1999. It’s not a glorious list, but it’s one that Bitonio belongs on.
Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II
Denzel Ward is one of the better corners in all of the NFL and Greg Newsome II showed signs of promise as a rookie. This offseason, Ward signed a contract extension with the Browns worth up to $100 million over the next five years. After just one season, Newsome looked as if he too could be in line for a big payday down the road.
In a division that features a former MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a future MVP candidate quarterback in Joe Burrow, elite cornerback play is a must and the Browns certainly have reason to feel great about theirs.
Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper
This duo has combined to log zero snaps for the Browns to date, but it’s also the one the Browns need to be the best -- or at worst second-best behind Garrett and Clowney -- on this list.
When the Browns traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson this offseason, they pushed all their chips to the center of the proverbial table. This, of course, came after the team had already dealt for Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper earlier in March.
Cooper won’t be the best wide receiver that Watson has played with, but Watson will be the best quarterback Cooper has shared the field with. The passing game for the Browns lacks proven weapons, as tight end David Njoku -- fresh off a contract extension of his own -- is the next most proven option as a pass-catcher.
In order to make up for the lack of a strong No. 2 receiver, Watson needs to help ensure that Cooper looks like the guy that had five seasons of 1,000 receiving yards in his first six years in the league.
