Thornhill: Browns have 'all of the pieces' needed to win Super Bowl
Juan Thornhill is joining the Cleveland Browns with optimism that his championship resume will grow.
The 27-year-old safety, who was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams with the Kansas City Chiefs, said Cleveland's current roster has everything it takes to lift the Lombardi Trophy.
"All of the pieces are here," said Thornhill, according to team reporter Anthony Poisal.
"(The Browns have) got a really good quarterback, receivers, the defense is super strong. I feel like all of the pieces are here, and we have that capability of getting there and making a splash in the playoffs and making it to the Super Bowl."
Thornhill signed a three-year, $21-million contract with the Browns this week.
A second-round pick in 2019, he appeared in 65 regular-season games for the Chiefs. Kansas City made three Super Bowl appearances in the last four seasons, winning two trophies. Thornhill wasn't able to play in the postseason as a rookie due to a torn ACL, but he played every defensive snap for Kansas City in the playoffs this past season en route to helping it beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
The Virginia product averages 61 tackles, five pass breakups, and two interceptions per 17 games played throughout his career.
"We had four or five rookies this year that had to play," Thornhill said. "I was looked at as that guy that had to be that leader, so I had to be that teacher in the room and be the guy that they can lean on if something was to go wrong and to lift them up."
The Browns finished fourth in the AFC North after going 7-10 in 2022. Cleveland had issues on both sides of the ball and finished the campaign ranked 18th in points scored and 20th in points allowed. The team had one of the NFL's worst defenses against the run.
However, Thornhill said he's confident that new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will be able to fix those issues.
"He got me pumped up," Thornhill said. "That's all I can say. Just already talking a little bit about football, the scheme, how he sees me in the defense. He got me ready to go."
The Browns also signed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, among others, earlier this week.