CLEVELAND, Ohio – If you’ve regularly watched the Browns over the last few seasons you’ve surely noticed the defense’s struggles in covering tight ends. But maybe we need to look at the numbers to really drive the point home.

Tight ends caught 100 passes for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns against the Browns in 2018. Those numbers ranked second, ninth and fifth worst, respectively, in the NFL.

In 2017, the Browns surrendered the third-most catches (89), ninth-most yards (868) and second-most touchdowns (10). In 2016, Browns opponents ranked fourth, seventh and first (13 TDs!) in those stats.

The Browns kept things under control between 2010-15, ranking in the middle of near the bottom in opponent tight end production. But things have clearly trended in the wrong direction since then.

Enter Steve Wilks, the new defensive coordinator. His teams in Arizona and Carolina have had success dealing with tight ends. As Cardinals head coach last season, his defense, run by current Browns linebackers coach Al Holcomb, held opposing tight ends to 60 catches for 599 yards and three touchdowns.

As Panthers defensive coordinator in 2017, Wilks’ schemes held tight ends to 54 catches for 585 yards (both second-fewest in the league), and seven touchdowns. The year before Wilks took over the defense, it gave up 12 touchdowns to tight ends, second-most in the league.

While those stats are promising for the Browns, covering tight ends comes down to the players. Multiple players. While most defenses would prefer to have a linebacker or strong safety locking down the tight end each play, NFL offenses are constantly looking for ways to create mismatches.

That’s why Kansas City’s Travis Kelce, one of the league’s elite tight ends, was covered by six different Browns during last season’s Week 9 matchup. That group included three linebackers, two cornerbacks and a safety. None of it worked. Kelce caught all seven of his targets for 99 yards and two scores.

When Wilks was hired, he was excited about working with Jabrill Peppers, using him in versatile roles like the Cardinals did with Budda Baker and the Panthers with Shaq Thompson. Wilks likes a Swiss Army knife player who can alternate between being in the box, in the slot and also covering tight ends.

With Peppers out of the picture, Wilks needs to find someone else versatile. Safety Jermaine Whitehead might get a shot at that role. He was singled out for praise by Wilks this offseason, and was on the practice field in three-safety looks. But strong safety Morgan Burnett and linebackers Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey will also be pressed into coverage against tight ends as well.

Wilks liked what he saw of Schobert and Kirksey during offseason workouts.

“I think these guys can run,” he said. “You have to have that matchup with these talented tight ends that can get vertical down the field. I think we have that in these two linebackers but also able to spread out in space over to the slot receiver. I have no problem with these guys playing out in space.”

Schobert was the second-best coverage linebacker in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus. But he didn’t cover as many tight ends as Jamie Collins, who struggled in coverage last season.

However Wilks decides to deal with tight end coverage, the preseason could provide valuable feedback. The Browns will face quality tight ends in Jordan Reed (Redskins), Eric Ebron (Colts), rookie T.J. Hockenson (Lions) and O.J. Howard (Buccaneers).

The biggest test of the regular season could come in Week 5. That’s when the Browns face the 49ers’ George Kittles, who is in the argument for best tight end in the league now that Rob Gronkowski is retired.

We should know by then if the Browns’ trend of tight end misery will continue for another season.

Cleveland Browns 19 Questions is a daily series that will carry our coverage of the Browns up to the beginning of training camp. We’ll highlight big and small questions about the team and the coming season each weekday in July here at cleveland.com.

Question 13: How will Antonio Callaway grow in Year 2?

Question 12: Will Myles Garrett be the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year?

Question 11: Will Greg Joseph or Austin Seibert provide kicking stabilty?

Question 10: What if Austin Corbett doesn’t win the right guard job?

Question 9: Will Freddie Kitchens be able to handle playcalling duties in first year as head coach?

Question 8: Will the Dawg Pound live up to the hype in 2019?

Question 7: Will Olivier Vernon be effective from the left side?

Question 6: Will the Browns extend Damarious Randall before he hits the market in March?

Question 5: Can Nick Chubb continue his rise in 2019?

Question 4: Can Drew Stanton win games for the Browns?

Question 3: How long can the Browns keep Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. together?

Question 2: Can Mike Priefer improve the Browns’ special teams?

Question 1: What does the Browns record need to be in the season’s first half?

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