Biggest questions Cleveland Browns need to answer against the 49ers

What will the Browns secondary look like?

The Cleveland Browns secondary has been decimated by injuries during the early part of the season, and it has forced the backup defensive backs to step. They have been able to do so and have been vital in the success of Cleveland’s defense so far.

The Browns are starting to get healthier in the secondary, with Damarious Randall returning last week against the Ravens and Morgan Burnett expected to return against the 49ers. However, both of Cleveland’s starting cornerbacks, Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams, are expected to miss their third straight game due to hamstring injuries.

T.J. Carrie and Terrance Mitchell have stepped up in their absences and have made plays on the outside. They have not allowed any big plays and are comfortable playing in Steve Wilks’ scheme. Their roles should not change, and they will have a good opportunity to make plays against a less than stellar 49ers wide receiver corps.

But the Browns defensive staff will have to decide how they want to use their safety personnel now that they are healthy on the back-end. Jermaine Whitehead had his best game last week against the Ravens while starting in place of Burnett. Eric Murray has also played well in the versatile fifth cornerback role he has been filling with Whitehead starting at strong safety.

Wilks will have the option to rotate his defensive backs around and put them in positions that could be their strengths. Because of how well the backup secondary has played, Wilks can get creative with his personnel.

It is always a good thing to have options with personnel because it allows the defensive staff to hide some weaknesses. So it will be interesting to see how Wilks deploys his secondary now that they are starting to get healthy.