Do the Cleveland Browns have a Super Bowl-winning defense?

After last season's playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Browns had one goal in mind. Upgrade the defense, but more specifically upgrade the secondary. They did that by bringing in John Johnson III and Troy Hill from the Los Angeles Rams. They also drafted Greg Newsome II with their first-round pick.

Through the first three games of the season, the results have been up and down. The offense has made up for it and is of Super Bowl-caliber strength. Baker Mayfield is in a perfect offensive system flanked by Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and Odell Beckham Jr. The question for the Browns remains, is the defense a Super-Bowl winning unit?

Do the Cleveland Browns have a defense that can win them the Super Bowl?

Strength of the Browns defense: defensive line and run defense

The Browns' biggest claim to the Super-Bowl on defense is upfront. Myles Garrett had 4.5 of the nine sacks the Browns had on the Chicago Bears a week ago. He showed off the athleticism and pass rush moves worthy of the NFL's defensive player of the year. Garrett has been aided by the additions of Jadeveon Clowney and Malik McDowell.

Clowney had two sacks against the Bears but has left an impact all over the field. He's been tremendous in run defense and has taken some of the load off Garrett in the pass rush.

This year, the Browns are the sixth-best run defense in the NFL. They only allow 67 yards per game on the ground. Garrett, Clowney, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah are to thank. Owusu-Koramoah has been a monster in run defense.

The jury is still out on the pass defense

For as improved as the run defense is, the jury is still out on the pass defense. Each week has seen the Browns improve on how many yards they allow through the air. In Week 3, the Bears were held to one net passing yard.

But neither of their free-agent acquisitions, Johnson or Hill, have been dependable yet. Johnson has received poor grades from PFF for his coverage in every game this season. He was targeted and beaten often by the Chiefs in particular. Hill has been okay but has been outshined by Newsome. The jury is out on these two players as they're learning a new defensive scheme.

Losing Anthony Walker before the season started was a big blow to the Browns. Malcolm Smith isn't athletic enough at this stage in his career to cover tight ends and speedy wide receivers. The Browns are 19th in passing yards allowed per game but have gotten better every week. They'll need to start getting takeaways from their defense to be considered Super Bowl-caliber.

Verdict: The Browns defense isn't Super Bowl-caliber yet, but they can be

Overall, the Browns defense is on the right trajectory even if they're not Super Bowl-caliber yet. Their run defense should remain one of the best in the NFL as long as their stars stay healthy. But having a good pass defense is essential to survive the AFC playoff race. Especially with offenses like the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills as threats.

The pass defense has the tools to be Super Bowl-caliber. It might just be a matter of playing together and getting experience in the scheme. This is a young team with a bright future ahead.