Do the Browns have a Top-5 pass rush duo?

A list compiling the best pass rushing duos in the NFL has come out and the Cleveland Browns have managed to make the Top-5. Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report has Cleveland’s duo of Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith checking in at number three. The two duos ranking ahead of them? The Chargers’ Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack (2nd) and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward (1st).

Coming in at three seems about right for the combo of Garrett and Smith. Garrett is clearly one of the best defensive ends in the league as he forced the most turnovers via pressure last season. Like Garrett who was ranked third, Smith also made an appearance on the Top-10 disruptors list with a “just missed” designation.

This is a revamped defensive front for Cleveland. Smith is joining Dalvin Tomlinson and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo as new faces looking to make some noise for the Browns this season. That is before mentioning that Jim Schwartz replaced the much maligned Joe Woods this past offseason. As mentioned by Moton, Schwartz’ defense in Philadelphia had the third-most sacks and second-highest pressure rate in 2020. Cleveland is hoping for similar results with Schwartz at the helm. Considering the pass rushers at his disposal it may be possible.

There is one thing to monitor about Cleveland’s pass rush duo

The only real concern here belongs in the corner of Smith. This is not about talent as Smith is a very good player. The question is can he sustain a high level of play throughout a season at this point in his career? The first nine games were very productive for Smith last season in Minnesota. Registering 9.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, and 14 tackles for loss. The final seven games of 2022 saw those numbers plummet with just half a sack, seven quarterback hits, and one tackle for loss. A nagging knee injury clearly was a role in his production dropping and that cannot be dismissed. If Smith can manage to stay healthy it could lead to more consistent results in 2023.