Even though the Cleveland Browns had a disappointing campaign in 2022, they did manage to bring in a few rookies on defense that could be part of the team’s future. Here we break down that rookie defensive class.
With the Cleveland Browns 2022 campaign mercifully coming to an end, it is time to do some reflecting on the season that was. Even though the Browns finished with a disappointing 7-10 record, there were players that deserve to be recognized for their performance.
The usual suspects: Joel Bitonio, Nick Chubb, and Myles Garrett were named to the Pro Bowl. Bitonio notched another All-Pro First-Team nod, while Chubb and Garrett were named to the second team.
However, there were some bright spots on the Browns that probably will not get much league-wide recognition. That is where we come in.
Now let us break down the Browns defensive rookies for the 2022 season
Martin ‘MJ’ Emerson: Round 3 (68th overall pick)
While it is wise to wait a few seasons before declaring a draft selection as a slam dunk, we think we are safe on this one. On night number two of the 2022 NFL draft, the Browns shocked their fanbase when they traded back out of the second round and selected a cornerback with their first selection. That pick was Martin Emerson out of Mississippi State.
Cornerback was not viewed as a position of need by the fanbase, but the decision-makers in Berea felt differently. Why they chose Emerson became evident as soon as training camp started. Emerson came into camp and immediately began turning heads with his size and his aggressive playing style.
At 6-2 and 195lbs, Emerson provided a physical element that the team did not have in the cornerback room. The only question was, would Emerson see the field enough in a stacked cornerback room to make a difference? The rookie answered that question emphatically.
Emerson played 72 percent of the team’s defensive snaps on the season and led all of the Browns cornerbacks in completion percentage allowed in coverage with 50.1 percent. Emerson finished tied with Denzel Ward for the most passes defended (15) and led all Browns’ corners in total tackles (63) as well as solo tackles (51).
Numbers aside, Emerson passed the eye test from the moment his number was called. The rookie never looked out of place and came up large in the biggest moments. Even without logging any interceptions, Emerson was Cleveland’s best cornerback in 2022.
With his rookie season in the books, Emerson will be expected to take another step going into his second campaign. Now with Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator, the Browns should employ an uptick of cover one, putting Emerson in a position to use his physicality in man-to-man coverage.
While it is too early to make any declarations on Emerson’s upper-bound limits, it is safe to say that AFC North receivers will not be looking forward to facing off against No. 23 for the foreseeable future.
Alex Wright: Round 3 (78th overall pick)
The Browns made their second selection of the 2022 NFL draft just 10 picks after their first pick. The team selected edge rusher Alex Wright out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Unlike their first pick, the selection of Wright was met with an immense amount of enthusiasm by the fanbase.
Wright checked all the boxes from a physical standpoint. At 6-foot-6 and 270lbs, Wright has the perfect frame for the modern-day NFL edge rusher. Wright was viewed as a raw prospect that could be developed into a starting-caliber defensive end that the team could eventually pair with Myles Garrett.
Wright’s rookie campaign was that of a typical mid-round defensive end. He started five games in place of an injured Jadeveon Clowney and logged 50 percent of the defensive snaps on the season. Over those 542 defensive snaps, Wright notched 13 solo tackles and 28 total tackles with two tackles for loss.
While Wright displayed some versatility by kicking down and playing defensive tackle and flashed occasionally, overall, his rookie season was marred by inconsistent play. Cleveland needs Wright to make a significant leap heading into year number two and will likely have to add another spot starter before handing the job to the second-year defensive end.
Perrion Winfrey: Round 4 (108th overall pick)
If Perrion Winfrey didn’t have the introductory press conference that he did, we would probably view his rookie season in a more positive light. But the boisterous defensive tackle had the fanbase head over heels after cutting a pro wrestling-esque promo after the Browns selected him in the fourth round.
There were other reasons to be optimistic about Winfrey being added to a thin, at best, defensive tackle room. The rookie out of the University of Oklahoma had shown some serious pass-rushing ability from the interior, which was something the Browns were severely lacking in. Winfrey had a good deal of momentum heading into the draft from his MVP-winning performance at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
Cleveland made Winfrey their first selection of day three, and then the infamous press conference via cell phone came. Winfrey had a large contingent of the fanbase ready to run through a brick wall. But he was unable to keep his momentum once training camp started.
Winfrey came out of the gates slow, putting some inconsistent play on tape in the process. The story of his rookie campaign became about the maturity issues that resulted in him being a healthy scratch for four games in the middle of the season.
However, Winfrey did finish the season on an upswing that saw him seeing some action with more regularity. Seven of Winfrey’s eight solo tackles came after Week 13. Winfrey played 52 percent of the defensive snaps over that same timeframe. With a defensive tackle room that is due for a major overhaul, Winfrey looks to be one of the pieces that will get a fresh start under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Isaiah Thomas: Round 7 (223rd overall selection)
The Browns went back to the University of Oklahoma for their final defensive selection of the 2022 NFL draft when they took edge rusher Isaiah Thomas. From a value perspective, the selection of Thomas was a homerun. The 6-foot-5 265lb defensive end, was a perfect candidate for a potential rotational edge depth piece with decent upside.
When called upon in limited action, Thomas showed good motor and solid technique. While only playing 25 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, and not seeing a lot of action down the stretch, Thomas figures to be in line for a rotational role in 2023.
D’Anthony Bell: Undrafted Free Agent
If this article were written five or six years ago, it would have been commonplace to see an undrafted free agent make the Browns initial roster coming out of training camp. In all honesty, there would have been a 50/50 shot for them to earn a starting spot on the team five or six years ago. But the Browns are in a very different phase of their roster construction and UDFA’s very rarely figure into their plans.
But D’Anthony Bell has been the lone outlier under the new regime. Up until Bell, no undrafted free agents had made Cleveland’s initial roster under the Andrew Berry regime. But in fairness to Bell, he forced their hand. Bell was one of the defense’s most consistent playmakers during the preseason and flashed every time he was given an opportunity.
Bell fit what the Browns look for in their safeties in terms of physicality. The product of the University of West Florida is 6-foot-1 and 215 lbs and excels at playing downhill. But being 25 years old put Bell well outside of their age guardrails.
Even though he made the roster, playing time in the safety room was hard to come by until late in the season for Bell. Up until the last two weeks of the year, he had only logged 13 defensive snaps. Over the course of the final two games, including a start against the Commanders, Bell played 59 defensive snaps. He notched eight total tackles, including three solo stops in each contest.
That increased playing time was more than likely just to get a good look at Bell before heading into the offseason. But considering the current state of the safety room, he has a real opportunity to make a case for himself in Jim Schwartz’ defense. It will most likely take another gargantuan preseason for Bell to latch on, but the opportunity is certainly there.
Ben Stille: Undrafted Free Agent
Ben Stille’s path onto the Browns roster was vastly different from D’Anthony Bell’s. Stille was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Nebraska. After being cut by the Dolphins at the end of camp, Stille was brought back to their practice squad. The Browns eventually poached Stille off the Dolphins’ practice squad prior to Week 11, which just happened to be the week after they played in Miami.
The Browns defensive tackle room was in disarray, and Stille was brought in to provide depth and hopefully a spark. In his first week with Cleveland, Stille played 43 percent of the team’s defensive snaps but failed to record a stat. Stille played 15 percent of the team’s defensive snaps over the next five weeks but was a healthy scratch for the final two games.
Stille does not figure into the Browns plans in their defensive tackle room, as there will be a massive overhaul to get Schwartz the players that he needs to run his scheme. Given his current trajectory, Stille will probably latch on to a team’s practice squad, but whether that is in Cleveland remains to be seen.