Did Greedy Williams already earn a starting role for the Cleveland Browns?

After mandatory minicamp, Cleveland Browns rookie cornerback Greedy Willams may have already claimed a starting job on the Browns’ defense.

When the Cleveland Browns selected cornerback Greedy Williams in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, most Browns fans were ecstatic about the value of the selection.

Williams was viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, but the Browns were able to get him much later than he was expected to go. Then as the idea of selecting Williams settled in, then came the realization of Cleveland’s new young cornerback duo.

2018’s fourth overall selection Denzel Ward emerged as a top young cornerback in his rookie season, creating plenty of excitement about how he could be a potential shutdown cornerback.

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And put Williams next to Ward, and the Browns now boast a young duo who excel at making plays on the ball and creating problems for opposing offenses. The biggest question would be if Williams can translate that ability to the NFL and if he could land a starting job before the start of the 2019 season.

Last season, Browns cornerback Terrance Mitchell played solid as the No. 2 cornerback next to Ward. Although he was targeted often when he was on the field, Mitchell held his own in coverage. He also showed a knack for creating turnovers and forcing fumbles, intercepting one pass and forcing two fumbles in eight games.

However, Mitchell has not been working with the starters as often this offseason and Williams has been ahead of him on the depth chart. According to Ben Axelrod of WKYC.com, Williams took advantage of the extra time and potentially already earned the starting cornerback job opposite of Ward.

"As he took the field for minicamp on Tuesday, Williams found himself opposite Ward on Cleveland’s first-team defense — a spot he continued to occupy for the entirety of the week. Although the Browns have yet to practice in full pads — and Terrance Mitchell being fully healthy — the LSU product appears to have firmly entrenched himself as one of Cleveland’s two starting cornerbacks. – Axelrod, WKYC.com"

Although Williams may not be fully accustomed to playing against NFL offenses, the extra reps with the first-team defense will help him get adjusted. Axelrod noted that Williams seemed to get more comfortable after each practice at minicamp.

Williams is also playing under defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who has excelled as a defensive backs coach in the NFL. He has helped several cornerbacks develop in his career, and he should be able to tap into Williams’ potential to get the best out of the rookie.

Ward mentioned Friday that playing against Odell Beckham Jr. is going to help take his game to the next level, and the same could be said about Williams. Especially when Jarvis Landry returns at training camp from a minor injury, Williams will get to play against some of the best receivers in the NFL. Practicing against those types of receivers will help show Williams where he needs to improve.

Even though it is only a month and a half after he was selected in the draft, Williams is already making his mark on the Browns’ defense. If he continues his adjustments and strong play into training camp, he could be in for an exciting rookie season.