Cleveland Browns lack depth in defensive backfield

It’s not necessarily a disaster, but the Cleveland Browns are still very thin in the defensive backfield

The Cleveland Browns had a great draft, so no doubt some fans will be upset at being told that it was not perfect. Well, it was not perfect, fans. One of the objectives that was not achieved was that the depth in the defensive backfield was not really achieved.

They started out great by drafting Greg Newsome II in the first round. However, many of your friends in the Dawg Pound were hoping that there would be several draft picks taken to fill out the defensive backfield.

No offense to Anthony Schwartz or Demetric Felton, but why does the team need to replace wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and running back D’Ernest Johnson, who seemed like they were solid professionals, who now look like they are on their way out? Meanwhile, the defensive secondary looks thin.

I count only three cornerbacks who are definitely good enough to be NFL staters: Denzel Ward, rookie Greg Newman II, and Troy Hill. That’s why it was so essential to get cornerback help early on in the draft.

There are only two known quantities at safety: free agent signee John Johnson II, and Ronnie Harrison. You could argue that rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah plays like a strong safety much of the time.

Defensive coordinator Joe Woods is committed to the 4-2-5 alignment as his base defense.

After those six players, it is very thin. The team has two players who missed the entire 2020 season who are attempting comebacks from injuries. However, it will not be trivial for either safety Grant Delpit (Achilles tendon rupture) or Greedy Williams (axillary nerve dysfunction in his shoulder) to make it back from career-threatening conditions.

The Dawg Pound continues to send prayers and well wishes for a complete recovery, but they have not yet taken the field yet, so it is way too early to place confidence in their complete recovery. There should certainly be a roster spot for both players, but they can not be penciled in at the top of the depth chart just yet.

In the case of Williams, his injury is hard for most of us to understand. However, there is a certain segment of fandom that believes that it understands the nature of his injury, and either believe he is 100% cured, or that he is not really injured.

However, this fan attempted to read up on it in journals such as the Neurosurgical Focus (see, for example, Lee, Sangkook, et al. “Axillary nerve injury associated with sports.” Neurosurgical focus 31.5 (2011): E10.), which is read by brain surgeons. If this is a situation that brain surgeons need to resolve, perhaps football fans should hesitate to make too many claims about diagnosing this case. Let’s just say it is a serious case and it continues to be career-threatening.

Grant Delpit, on the other hand, tore his Achilles tendon. That used to be the kiss of death for a football player’s career. However, Browns fans ought to love Kevin Garnett of the Brooklyn Nets for proving that it is possible to come back from that injury now. However, like Williams, Delpit has not yet made it back to the playing field. Let’s pump the brakes on our expectations, and just hope and pray that he makes it to the 53 player roster this season.

Richard LeCounte appears to be not recovered from off-the-field injuries. That is actually a good thing, because on paper his Pro Day numbers were so poor that he was not draft worthy. But perhaps the training and medical staff can work with him to improve his health, and if so he could be a starting-caliber safety. Prior to the season, he was ranked as high as the number five safety in his draft class and was considered tops in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Otherwise, there are several potential candidates to become extra defensive backs: Robert Jackson, M.J. Stewart, and Brian Allen among the corners; A.J. Green, Montrel Meander, Jovante Moffatt, and Elijah Benton, among the safeties.

Extra players are not really needed in September, but as the browns found out in the playoffs, the extra players come up big. Maybe the Browns can unearth someone in Summer Camp this season.

It is certainly possible that the Browns will sign the right undrafted free agent, or obtain a good player via the waiver wire. Cleveland doesn’t need everyone to be All-Pro. They just need to find some hidden talent to fill out the depth chart at defensive back.

Perhaps that player is already signed. The Browns have added undrafted free agents Emmanuel Rugamba from Miami of Ohio, and Kiondre Thomas from Kansas State. Thomas, by the way, is said to have run a 4.44 40-yard dash.

Thomas is one of several prospects that the Browns brought in this year who were graduate transfers who played football while attending graduate school. Perhaps the rest of the NFL shuns players with brains, but the Browns front office seems to kind of dig them. Tre Harbison and Romeo McKnight were also grad student footballers.

CB:  Need 5

1.Denzel Ward  77% availability as a pro.

2. Greg Newsome rookie turns 21 later this month.

3. Troy HIll  often used as a slot corner.

4. Greedy Williams Axillary Nerve Dysfunction is a career threatening injury.

5.  Robert Jackson, M.J. Stewart, Brian Allen, not perceived as strong players.

Safety:  Need 5

1.S John Johnson II free agent signee.

2. Ronnie Harrison, stud pickup from last season.

3. Sheldrick Redwine, best of the rest.

4. Grant Delpit Achilles is a career threatening injury.

5.  Richard LeCounte appears not recoverd from off-the-field injuries.

A.J. Green, Montrel Meander, Jovante Moffatt, Elijah Benton, not perceived as strong players.

If everyone remains healthy, they could be fine. But health has been a major problem in this secondary for a while now.