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Steve Wilks focused on improving Browns’ defensive techniques

New coordinator Steve Wilks is focused on improving the Cleveland Browns’ defensive techniques.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns were one of the best teams in the National Football League at forcing turnovers during the 2018 regular season, but they struggled to convert those miscues into points and had other fundamental issues.

From missed tackles to allowing multiple teams to rush for over 100 yards in the second half of the season, new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks knows the Browns have no shortage of things to work on when the offseason program gets underway in April.

“I pride myself on the fundamentals and technique,” Wilks said in his introductory press conference at team headquarters in Berea last week. “We are not going to get away from that.

“From Day 1, even in the offseason when we are not working with pads, I still think it is a point of emphasis and it starts there. Then, once the season gets here, we can’t get away from it. It is not just one guy. It is a team effort. We have to get guys running to the football. We have to get guys understanding the proper leverage, angles, how we get there, how we arrive with velocity and most importantly, impact.”

Credit: Christian Petersen
Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks watches from the sidelines during the second half of the NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on December 23, 2018.

Besides proper angles and understanding leverage, Wilks knows maintaining “gap integrity” will be a key to reducing the rushing yards allowed.

“That is what our defense has been about for years,” Wilks said. “It is everybody having their gap. It is everybody doing their job. It starts with trust, great communication, technique and fundamentals.

“We are going to make sure that we emphasize that from Day 1. I think that is what you have to start with in this defense -- understanding your responsibility and understanding and trusting that the man beside you is going to do his job. We have to stop the run, No. 1.”

Credit: Ted S. Warren
Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks stands on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018.

While improving the techniques when it comes to tackling and maintaining gap integrity, Wilks does not want to lose any of the aggressiveness the Browns had when forcing turnovers in the first half of the 2018 regular season.

“It is very important, and that has been a part of my background and my makeup ever since I came into the league with the Chicago Bears,” Wilks said. “You go back and look at the history of what we did there and same thing in San Diego, the year we went to the Super Bowl in Carolina.

“We pride ourselves not only on taking the ball away, but scoring on defense. We just want to be able to build on what those guys did last year. We are talking about complementary football, and that is part of it -- not just giving the ball back to the offense, but trying to score, as well.”

If Wilks is able to make those improvements in the Browns’ defense, which will be a “base four-three with options for multiple fronts possible,” he believes it will afford him the opportunity to get creative with his play-calling in third-and-long situations.

“It is all about trying to create negative plays on first and second down so you can get exotic in some of your third down pressures and things you want to do,” Wilks said.

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