5 biggest concerns for the 2021 Cleveland Browns

3. Secondary depth

Cleveland is adding Greg Newsome II, Grant Delpit, Greedy Williams, Troy Hill, and John Johnson III to their secondary this season, which is an impressive influx of talent, to say the least. However, beyond those five guys, Denzel Ward, and Ronnie Harrison, there isn’t a ton of proven depth.

A.J. Green (undrafted free agent who played one snap in 2020), Robert Jackson (special teamer who was picked on when forced into the starting lineup), and M.J. Stewart (again, picked on when he had to play) are fighting for two or three backup spots along with a host of others. Sheldrick Redwine was relied upon only when necessary in 2020, despite a safety room ravaged by injury. Rookie Richard LeCounte is talented, but a sixth-round pick for a reason.

The concern here is that Newsome, Delpit, Williams, Ward, and Harrison all have injury concerns. Newsome and Delpit have never played in the NFL. Williams is returning from a nerve injury, and is a complete unknown at this point because of it.

One injury to a starter, and three safeties and three corners are considered starters in this defense, would put the entire secondary in a very difficult position. There are still some quality veterans available on the free-agent market, but the Browns had plenty of chances to draft more rookie defensive backs and passed multiple times. Let’s hope the lack of depth does not backfire.