Mike Pettine joked Saturday that he looked at his roster and suddenly felt like a better coach after the addition of 12 draft picks.
Defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil can't wait to see not only how the new players fit in to what the Browns want to accomplish in 2015, but also how it brings an even higher level of play out of the team's returning veterans.
"We were happy with our defensive roster going in (to the draft)," O'Neil said. "I do think Ray Farmer and his staff did a great job adding some guys for us. On college tape, they play like Browns. Competition will be high at every level of the defense. I'm excited about that.
"Anytime you get guys in a competitive environment, it brings out the best in everybody."
When he glances at his roster now, O'Neil sees seven rookies and four veterans acquired through free agency that weren't there when the 2014 season ended. Even more will be there this weekend, when the Browns welcome a handful of undrafted free agents and a slew of tryout players to join their draft picks at rookie mini-camp.
The Browns' offseason losses on defense were significant -- defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, linebacker Jabaal Sheard and defensive back Buster Skrine left in free agency while veteran safety Jim Leonhard retired -- but they've compensated with plenty of additions of their own. Needless to say, there are more seats filled in O'Neil's defensive meeting room, and that's the way he likes it.
"I think that's been the MO of Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer since we got here," O'Neil said. "They're going to drive competition at every position group. The more competition you have, the better it is for everyone."
The defensive line room has been the beneficiary of the largest injection of fresh faces. On top of multiple players returning from serious injuries, the group now features battle-tested Randy Starks, two highly coveted rookies in Danny Shelton and Xavier Cooper and whomever else signs or lands on the team as an undrafted free agent.
It's another pivotal step toward addressing the team's struggles against the run and freeing lanes for pass rushers in 2014. One of the players expected to fly through those lanes, outside linebacker Nate Orchard, was added early in the draft, too.
"Drafting Danny Shelton's just a mammoth of a person inside, so anytime you add a guy that's going to force two guys to block him it's going to free things up for other guys and keep those linebackers clean to the ball," O'Neil said. "I'm excited about Nate Orchard as far as an edge rusher and he also has a versatile skill set where he could potentially do some drop stuff, do some things in coverage for us. Then Xavier Cooper, the guy we traded up to go get. He was a guy I know we as a defensive staff thought very highly of. We were shocked he was there late in the third round.
"It was an exciting three days for everyone."
Check out how the defense looks after an offseason full of acquisitions. "*" indicates they're new to the team.
Defensive line
Calvin Barnett
Armonty Bryant (splitting time at OLB)
Desmond Bryant
*Xavier Cooper
John Hughes
Ishmaa'ily Kitchen
Jacobbi McDaniel
Jamie Meder
*Danny Shelton
*Randy Starks
Phil Taylor
Christian Tupou
Billy Winn
Inside linebacker
Tank Carder
Karlos Dansby
Darius Eubanks
Chris Kirksey
*Hayes Pullard
Craig Robertson
Outside linebacker
Paul Kruger
Barkevious Mingo
*Nate Orchard
Keith Pough
Scott Solomon
Defensive backs
Johnson Bademosi
*Ibraheim Campbell
Pierre Desir
*Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (injured)
*Charles Gaines
Justin Gilbert
Tashaun Gipson
Joe Haden
Kendall James
Robert Nelson
*Micah Pellerin
Jordan Poyer
*Varmah Sonie
Donte Whitner
K'Waun Williams
*Tramon Williams
