The Cleveland Browns are headed to Philadelphia for a couple of joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday with the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. After the joint practices, they will also play their second preseason game on Saturday afternoon. The Browns will get some good work in for the 2025 season, going against one of the better rosters in all of football in the Eagles.
One of the biggest standouts from Browns training camp and the preseason game has been how good the defensive line has looked top to bottom, not just the starters. When I was at camp, it was nearly every play that the defense was in the quarterback's lap right away. They look fast, aggressive, and fully bought into the Jim Schwartz attacking style of playing.
There have been so many clips from practice where the Browns' quarterbacks have had next to no time to make a throw because of how the defensive line just dominates up front. The question is, is it because the Browns' offensive line has been bad, or is it just because the defensive line is very talented?
That question is going to get answered this week as the Browns will be going up against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The old saying "iron sharpens iron" will be on full display as the best pass rusher in the game, Myles Garrett, will face arguably the best left tackle in the game, Jordan Mailata.
Last year, Mailata was the highest graded overall tackle by PFF with a 95.8 grade. He allowed only 14 pressures and one sack all season. It'll be interesting to see the results of these two doing battle for two straight joint practices.
On the other side of the defensive line are two guys that have had good camps and are battling for the EDGE two role in Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire. Right now, Isaiah McGuire has the lead, but both will be essential parts of this rotation. When they line up on the right side, they will be going against one of the best right tackles, maybe in the history of the game, in Lane Johnson. It's going to be a big test for those guys.
The Eagles will be without their star left guard this week due to a recent injury, but their center, Cam Jurgens, is pretty good. The Browns' interior defensive line has had some good moments, and Mason Graham will have all of my attention going against Jurgens and the rest of the interior.
Personally, I have felt that the Browns' defensive line being really good is the reason they've been such a thorn in the side of the offense, and not that the offensive line has been awful. But that question should have a more precise answer after this week against the Eagles.