Cleveland Browns: Grading the Strength of Every Position Unit Before Camps Begin

The Cleveland Browns' rookies have already reported to training camp, but the full team won't be practicing together for a week. So it's a good time to take a look at each of the Browns' positional groups and see where they stand.

Here are the Browns' positional groups, graded for strength prior to the start of the team's full training camp.

Quarterback

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The presumed starting quarterback for the Browns this year is Josh McCown, who was brought aboard earlier this offseason after a poor, 11-game stint as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback last season. Those struggles, though, may not repeat themselves in Cleveland, given that McCown is behind a better offensive line.

But he may see some competition during training camp from backup Johnny Manziel. Depending on how Manziel handles training camp and the preseason, there could be some degree of a quarterback controversy in Cleveland prior to Week 1.

Also in the mix are Connor Shaw and Thaddeus Lewis. Terrelle Pryor, meanwhile, is on the team's roster as a wide receiver, but he could see a few snaps at quarterback, given that it was the position he has played his entire life.

Though there is optimism about McCown, he's had only five games—in 2013, for the Chicago Bears—where he looked like a high-level NFL starter. The rest of Cleveland's quarterbacks are mostly untested on an NFL level. This is not one of the team's strongest positions.

Grade: B-

Running Back

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The Browns are in good shape at the running back position this year. They have second-year players Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell returning to the team, and they will be joined by rookie Duke Johnson in a three-man rotation.

The Browns also have Shaun Draughn, who only worked as a kick returner late in 2014, Glenn Winston—whom the coaching staff has heaped praise upon, though he had no touches last season—and 26-year-old undrafted rookie Luke Lundy. One of these three will be vying for a roster spot alongside West, Crowell and Johnson.

With a group like this, the Browns appear to have more than enough talent to succeed at fielding a run-heavy offense in 2015.

Grade: A-

Wide Receiver

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The Browns receiving corps is a mix-and-match group of in-house veterans, street free agents and rookies—and yet, it may just be the right group for the job this year.

Returning are Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel, the team's two leading receivers from 2014. They are joined by Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline, deep threats the Browns signed in the offseason. Rounding out the position are fourth-round draft pick Vince Mayle, the undrafted Darius Jennings and the aforementioned Terrelle Pryor as the players most likely to reach the 53-man roster.

While a thrown-together group, these receivers all have varied skills that allow them to be moved all over the field. That gives the Browns versatility in the passing game that they didn't have in 2014.

Grade: B+

Tight End

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The Browns placed rookie tight end Randall Telfer on the active/non-football injury list to open training camp on Wednesday, which could pave the way for Telfer to sit out 2015 completely while he heals from a Lisfranc foot injury he suffered in college.

But even without Telfer, the tight end position is in good hands this year. The Browns will have three men who will be tasked with the blocking and receiving duties that the job requires—Rob Housler, Jim Dray and Gary Barnidge.

Housler will handle most of the receiving duties, Dray will do more blocking and Barnidge will do a mix of both, at least based on head coach Mike Pettine's comments last month. The trio are more than enough for the Browns to get the most out of the tight end position this year.

Grade: A

Offensive Line

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The Browns possess one of the best offensive lines in the league. Though it took a pretty severe blow last year when center Alex Mack went down with a fractured leg, it has since become stronger, with Mack now fully healthy and Round 1 draft pick Cam Erving in the mix.

Erving is a versatile player who can handle every position on the line, though he may settle at right guard this year. He is joined by 2014 Round 2 draft pick Joel Bitonio, who quickly became one of the top left guards in the NFL, left tackle Joe Thomas and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Last year's right guard, John Greco, will provide much-needed depth should he lose his job to Erving, and he'll be joined by Michael Bowie and Ryan Seymour as the primary reserves on the line. Most teams only dream of having a line this talented and depth of this quality.

Grade: A+

Defensive Line

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The Browns defense gave up more rushing yards per game on average than any team in the NFL last year. And though the Browns' issues with stopping the run have persisted for years, last season it had as much to do with a number of injuries suffered on the defensive line than any issues with coaching or scheme.

But those injured players, which include Phil Taylor, Desmond Bryant and John Hughes, are all healthy now. And with the addition of nose tackle Danny Shelton in Round 1 of the 2015 draft, Xavier Cooper in Round 3 and Randy Starks in free agency, the Browns seem better equipped to stop the run as well as create havoc up front to better rush the passer.

Cleveland's defensive line, on paper, seems like one of the league's most formidable. Though the Browns may not be tops in stopping the run this year, they should be far better than dead last with everyone healthy and Shelton's massive presence in the middle.

Grade: B+

Linebackers

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The Browns' duo of inside linebackers, Chris Kirksey and Karlos Dansby, may be one of the league's best. And neither will be losing their starting jobs this year. The bigger questions are at outside linebacker for the Browns this year.

Paul Kruger will be reprising his role as one of the Browns' key pass-rushers, especially after leading the team in sacks in 2014 with 11. But who will join him? Barkevious Mingo looks to be more of a coverage linebacker than a pass-rusher, which is fine—Scott Solomon is ready to handle the early pass-rushing downs this season. Armonty Bryant could also see time as a pass-rushing linebacker depending on the defensive formation.

Joining them is rookie Nate Orchard and Tank Carder, while Craig Robertson will see some on-field time as a backup inside linebacker. This group, like the defensive line, should have an improved year after a shaky 2014 campaign.

Grade: B

Cornerback

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The Browns have an impressive amount of depth at the cornerback position presently. Alongside presumed starters Tramon Williams and Joe Haden are Justin Gilbert and K'Waun Williams, who are vying for the nickel cornerback job this year. They also boast Pierre Desir, Charles Gaines and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, the latter placed on the non-football injury list by the Browns on Wednesday.

Cleveland has one of the best secondaries in the league, and its cornerbacks deserve a lot of credit for that distinction. The Browns also have one of the youngest, which sets them up for success in the long term. The Browns have little to worry about at cornerback right now.

Grade: A

Safety

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Browns safety Tashaun Gipson has 11 interceptions over his last two seasons, and though he missed the final six games of the 2014 season, he still ranked 10th at his position, according to Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, fellow starter Donte Whitner ranked 11th. The Browns seem set when it comes to their starters.

And if anything happens to Gipson or Whitner this year, backup Jordan Poyer is more than capable of stepping in. Rookie Ibraheim Campbell also seems like a promising player in the future, while Johnson Bademosi serves both as a backup and as a key special teams player. 

Granted that everyone stays healthy, the Browns secondary will continue to perform at a high level this year. Their safeties, like their cornerbacks, are just too good.

Grade: A+

Special Teams

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The Browns completely reworked their special teams unit this offseason. They replaced punter Spencer Lanning with Andy Lee, long snapper Christian Yount with Charley Hughlett and are still working out who will return punts and kicks for the team this year.

At kicker, meanwhile, a battle will rage throughout training camp and the preseason between Carey Spear and Travis Coons for the right to replace Garrett Hartley.

With all of these unknowns, it's hard to grade the Browns' special teams as anything but incomplete at this early part of the summer.

Grade: I