4 Reasons Cleveland Browns will have a top-five Defense in 2021
By Greg Newland
![Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) participates in drills during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 5](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fdawgpounddaily-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2018-2F08-2F16263266-850x560-ce41b2e00feb68aa8c439c46da8e771c54f5dbc9e29f5e23c986fdb6d9877e93.jpg "Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) participates in drills during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 5")
No. 2 – Loaded Secondary
Perhaps the biggest upgrade this offseason will be in the secondary. The Browns could very well go from the worst secondary in football, to one of the best.
Safety, Grant Delpit, and cornerback Greedy Williams return from injury. Free agents John Johnson (safety) and Troy Hill (nickel) join the roster, and the Browns drafted a top corner in the first round of the 2021 draft.
Ward and Harrison will be the only two guys getting snaps in 2021 that played last season. There were times where the Browns had Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell were starting corners with Andrew Sendejo and Karl Joseph as the safeties. That just can’t happen again in 2021.
Delpit is the perfect fit for the Woods defense. He can move over the field as the fifth defensive back and will be utilized in coverage, run support, and blitzing. Joe Johnson is one of the most underrated ball-hawking safeties in the game, and Hill has become known as a top nickel in the NFL.
The secondary has become the most important group of players on the defense because the league has gone so pass-heavy. Think of how many times on third and six last season a team just ran a seven-yard out for an easy completion. While it was frustrating to watch, the team just didn’t have the talent to play tight man-to-man coverage when they needed it.
That won’t be the case in 2021, and the secondary will be a major reason as to why this defense is so successful.