All
NFL - current
Fantasy
College
NFL Draft
DFS
Betting

Cleveland Browns All-PFF Team: The best players of the past 20 years
By Nathan Jahnke
  • Joe Thomas leads the Cleveland Browns offense: Cleveland’s had a good offensive line for most of the 20 years, but this line becomes elite when piecing together the best players from the era.
  • Myles Garrett leads the defense: The recently traded Garrett leads a newly formed Browns defense with players spread across 20 seasons.
  • The offensive skill positions featured little debate: Baker Mayfield earned the quarterback spot by a wide margin, while Amari Cooper, Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry were the only Browns receivers to surpass both 2,500 receiving yards and an 80.0 PFF receiving grade during the era.

As part of PFF's celebration of 20 years of NFL data, we're building an All-Star team for every franchise, highlighting the best players at each position from the PFF era. This installment turns to the Cleveland Browns.

PFF's database dates back to the 2006 NFL season, providing a unique lens for evaluating and comparing players across eras. More details on the methodology used to construct these teams are available at the bottom of the page.

Offense

The strength of the Browns' offense has been their offensive line, anchored by Hall of Fame left tackle Joe Thomas. All three interior linemen earned at least three Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections during their time in Cleveland. Mitchell Schwartz didn't begin earning All-Pro recognition until after joining the Kansas City Chiefs, but right tackles had a much harder path to those honors during that era. Even so, Schwartz ranked as the second-highest-graded right tackle in the NFL during his four seasons with the Browns.

The rest of the offense was relatively straightforward to assemble. Baker Mayfield played 3,991 snaps for Cleveland, while no other quarterback topped 1,400, and he also earned the highest PFF grade of any Browns quarterback during the PFF era. At wide receiver, Amari Cooper, Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry stood apart from the competition. They are the franchise's only receivers with at least 2,500 receiving yards during the PFF era and the only three to earn receiving grades above 80.0.

Defense

The Browns' defense is anchored by Myles Garrett, Joe Haden and Denzel Ward. They rank among the franchise leaders in both snaps and PFF grade during the PFF era and are the only three Browns defenders to earn multiple Pro Bowl selections over that span.

Both linebacker spots featured close competition. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and D'Qwell Jackson combined strong play with large workloads, while Karlos Dansby and Devin Bush excelled in more specialized roles. Dansby was the standout coverage linebacker of the group, while Bush was at his best against the run. However, both played significantly fewer snaps than Owusu-Koramoah and Jackson, ultimately giving the latter two the edge.

Methodology

Selections were based on normalized PFF grades adjusted by season. To balance peak performance and longevity, only a player's five best seasons with a franchise from 2006-25 were considered. Any season with an overall PFF grade below 60.0 was excluded, ensuring that strong years helped a player's case while weaker seasons were not held against him. Postseason play was included, though all seasons were capped at a 16-game equivalent to maintain consistency across eras. At each position, the player with the highest score under this methodology earned the spot.

Each team consists of 12 offensive and 12 defensive players. Because 11 personnel and nickel defense were the league's most common alignments over the past two decades, those personnel groupings served as the foundation for every roster. Teams received either a second tight end or a fullback, depending on whether they used more 12- or 21-personnel. Defensively, teams received either a third interior defender or a third linebacker depending on whether they primarily operated from a 3-4 or 4-3 front.

Players who logged significant snaps at multiple positions during their tenure with a franchise were eligible at either spot. In most cases, those players were assigned to the position where they provided the greatest value, though their versatility occasionally influenced the final roster construction.

Unlike some All-Pro teams that group offensive linemen by position type, these rosters were built according to where players actually lined up. If a team's two best tackles both played exclusively on the left side, only the top left tackle was selected. One of the three wide receivers and one of the five defensive backs was also required to have significant slot experience. In a 4-3 defense, one linebacker needed experience at the Sam linebacker position, while in a 3-4 defense, one defensive tackle needed experience at nose tackle.

When multiple players are listed at the same position, the first name represents the top selection. Players designated as slot wide receiver, slot cornerback, nose tackle or Sam linebacker were selected specifically for those roles rather than as the third-best player within their broader position group.

Call the Right Play for Every Life Stage. Western & Southern Financial Group.
Sponsor
NFL Featured Tools
Subscriptions

Unlock the 2024 Fantasy Draft Kit, with Live Draft Assistant, Fantasy Mock Draft Sim, Rankings & PFF Grades

$24.99/mo
OR
$119.99/yr
About Us
News & Analysis
Tools
Partnerships
Join PFF
Customer Service
Follow Us
Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use Accessibility Statement Cookie Settings
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.