Cleveland Browns: Remembering Don Rogers

The Cleveland Browns lost safety Don Rogers to a drug overdose 30 years ago this month. The pain of that day still resonates with his family and former teammates.

The Cleveland Browns had a clear plan for building their defense in the mid-1980s and headed into the 1984 NFL Draft looking for the final piece to the puzzle.

The Browns had selected Hanford Dixon and Eddie Johnson in 1981 and Chip Banks in 1982. With the downfall of the USFL, Frank Minnifield joined the squad in 1984 and Mike Johnson followed in 1986.

As the team worked to get all the defensive pieces in place, the Browns were only missing one key ingredient: a hard-hitting safety who would leave opposing wide receivers looking…