Veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson signed a four-year deal with the Browns in March, providing a significant boost to a unit that needed to beef up its run defense.
Then Cleveland added one of Tomlinson’s running mates from his former team, acquiring defensive end Za’Darius Smith.
With an elite edge rusher in Myles Garrett already established with the Browns, plus an attacking new scheme led by coordinator Jim Schwartz, Tomlinson sees big potential for Cleveland’s defense in 2023 — particularly up front.
As noted by Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com, Schwartz has experimented with Garrett and free-agent signee Ogbo Okoronkwo at defensive end with Tomlinson and Smith playing defensive tackle during some 11-on-11 periods in the offseason program.
“I feel like the sky’s the limit with us up in there together,” Tomlinson said, via Bastock. “Throughout the season I just feel like we’ll be pinned up in a lot of different schematics together with that front and, yeah, it’s going to get crazy.
“Because I already know what Za’Darius can do on the inside and just watching Ogbo and Myles on film and playing against him over the years and stuff like that. It’s just with all of us together and bringing out different skill sets together, I feel like it’s going to — I don’t know how to put it into words. It’s going to be amazing.”
As an interior player, Tomlinson particularly appreciates Schwartz’s attacking scheme.
“Just being a big, powerful guy when they just tell you to go and explode off the ball, you get to use your weight to your advantage I guess at that point and get to use all your power and you don’t have to just sit there catching blocks,” Tomlinson said. “Super excited and I can’t wait for it.”
In 93 career games, Tomlinson has recorded 13.0 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, and 37 QB hits. He’s twice registered a career-high 3.5 sacks in a season. We’ll see if he can set a new mark with the Browns in 2023.
