Look for Big Improvement from D

I'm expecting big things from the defense this year. They looked sharp in the preseason opener against the Jets, and I think Wimbley is going to have a monster season. How could he not with the addition of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams on the line?

Now, I must admit that I was a big fan of former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. At first, I was sad to see him let go and wondered why they'd fire such an enthusiastic, rising star like him.

Sure, there are the rumors he started to undermine Romeo. But let's be honest, the numbers don't lie. The number of points allowed by the Browns defense increased in each of the past three years (301 in '05, 356 in '06 and 382 in '07).

You can't expect to make the playoffs that way. Enter Mel Tucker, who may have his work cut out for him this year at the helm of the defense.

Obviously, we have to be able to stop the run — especially in the AFC North. I don't care what people say, the AFC North is a tough, physical division and it all starts with running the football. Just as an offense cannot be successful without running the ball, the defense cannot be successful without stopping the run.

In the Jets game (and, yes, I know it was only a preseason game), our new defensive line looked pretty good. The Jets spent some money during the offseason to improve that line, which included stealing Alan Faneca away from Pittsburgh to make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL.

It'll take time for the Jets new O-line to mesh, but they're still full of talent and our new D-line did a decent job. I can't wait to see how we size up against the reigning Super Bowl champs in our next meaningless game.