B.J. Goodson is the greybeard of the Cleveland Browns linebacking corps despite being just 27 years old and registering a modest 160 total tackles over his first four seasons. It’s a sign of the greenhorn status of the LB position in Cleveland.
In his first week of practice with the Browns, Goodson is offering promise that he can be more than just a veteran rudder for the precocious young LB corps. With Mack Wilson sidelined with a knee injury, Goodson has stepped up as the team’s top coverage LB.
Browns LB coach Jason Tarver has been impressed with Goodson’s work in coverage. He talked about it in his Zoom session with reporters prior to Friday’s session in Berea.
After noting that Goodson is in on all the LB packages, Tarver cited an example of his work in coverage.
“B.J. did a great job on one of those packages on an option route in the red zone where our new tight end (Austin Hooper) ran a route where he could either go underneath or go vertical and B.J. stayed in perfect position.
He’s done a great job of working his body through the offseason to where he can do that. I know B.J. was excited about the opportunity here because we want players to feel like they are limitless.”
Goodson was signed as a free agent after nondescript stints with the Giants (2016-2018) and Packers, where he played over 50 percent of the snaps in just three games in 2019. He appears poised for a much more significant role in Joe Woods’ defense in Cleveland in 2020. As Tarver noted, he’s been in on every package so far.
