T.J. Carrie becoming vital member of the Cleveland Browns defense
By Dan Justik
Cleveland Browns cornerback T.J. Carrie may be the No. 3 or No. 4 cornerback on the depth chart, but his versatility makes a vital member of the defense.
The Cleveland Browns’ decision to sign cornerback T.J. Carrie raised some eyebrows last offseason, mostly because of the size of his four-year, $31 million contract. Although he played well for the Oakland Raiders to start his career, it seemed like the Browns overpaid for his services.
However, he played well in his first season with the Browns, playing all 16 games, including eight starts. Carrie made 74 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, one interception and eight passes defensed.
The Browns dealt with multiple injuries at cornerback, forcing Carrie to play inside and outside. But that versatility is making him a vital member of the Browns defense under defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
#Browns DB coach DeWayne Walker noted that CBs Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and Terrance Mitchell all work only on the outside. Shows the importance of the versatile TJ Carrie, who can play in the slot and outside.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) August 10, 2019
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Cleveland has built up their depth at cornerback, but it appears Carrie will still play many meaningful snaps during the season. However, even though he will likely play primarily in the slot, Carrie will have plenty of competition to fight off.
With the Browns defense expected to play with an extra defensive back on the field for the majority of games, they have multiple defenders spending time in the slot. Safeties Jermaine Whitehead and Eric Murray have worked with the first-team defense covering the slot, so Carrie will have to earn his reps with the first-team.
Even though Carrie can play outside, he is better suited to primarily cover the slot. He excelled playing on the inside during 2018, despite being the most targeted defensive back on the Browns defense.
Due to his strengths covering the slot, the Browns playing Denzel Ward, Terrance Mitchell, and Greedy Williams solely on the outside will put all of their defensive backs in the best positions to succeed.
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Carrie may not be matched up with the top receivers during the season, but his presence as a slot corner makes him an important piece of Cleveland’s defense. With most NFL teams having a primary slot receiver, Carrie will still have difficult matchups during the season.