Even with the Cleveland Browns deciding to trade Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions for draft compensation, the team still has one of the best pass rushes in the league. Behind Myles Garrett, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Shelby Harris, the Browns rank in the top-3 in pass rush win rate in the NFL. Smith's absence will be felt, but it opens the door for Cleveland to see what else they have on the D-line.
One player that should be given some runway to step up in place of Smith is Isaiah McGuire. McGuire, a second year edge defender out of Missouri, has gotten reps here and there for the Browns but has still tallied up a forced fumble and a decent amount of tackles this season. Last year, he had a sack and just six tackles compared to this year's 17 tackles and counting. A clearly talented defender with upside, the Browns once again drafted a great defensive lineman that fits the team's defensive identity.
Now, McGuire is proabably going to be tapped for even more reps with Smith gone. And, if his Week 9 PFF is any indication of what Cleveland can expect of him in Week 11 onward, Browns fans will be happy to watch even more solid defense played by the Browns (even if the offense can't back up their play).
Ranking fourth among all EDGE defenders in a week that featured three sacks from Garrett and a ridiculous four sack performance from Cincinnati Bengals defender Trey Hendrickson is extremely impressive. McGuire stood out with a three tackle performance and as the Browns D-line pressured Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert on 52.9 percent of his snaps.
The Browns' next game isn't until Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints, who rank nearly dead last - 31st - in pass block win rate through the last nine weeks of action. It's possible McGuire has a breakout debut as the new starting RDE for the Browns and that he'll be alongside Garrett on multiple pressures and sacks on Saints quarterback Derek Carr.
With how poor the Saints' pass blocking is, hopefully the Browns are able to pull a win out behind their defense. Assuming the offense is still failing to get down the field, this is the team's best bet at generating turnovers and scoring off fumbles or interceptions. New Orleans has five fumbles on the season, and more may be incoming behind McGuire and Garrett.
