The 10 best cornerbacks in the history of the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have one of the more popular teams in the entire NFL. Their fan base is so loyal that the league even brought them back in 1999 after Art Modell moved them to Baltimore in 1996 and rebranded them as the Ravens.

Football in Cleveland is often praised for its blue-collar approach. The city loves a hard-nosed ground attack and a strong defense. That's why Nick Chubb and Myles Garrett being the current offensive and defensive leaders feels so right.

Throughout their history, they've had numerous excellent running backs and defensive linemen who have led the way. They've also been able to find some top-tier cornerbacks. That's where our focus will be now as we highlight the 10 greatest corners to wear the Orange and Brown.

Criteria for selection

• Statistical achievements/team records
• Impact on success
• Longevity
• Individual awards

Selecting the top players is never easy, especially when considering different eras. We attempted to do this still and will use a combination of their statistics, longevity, and impact on the overall success on the franchise as criteria. As is always the case, individual awards will have plenty of weight as well.

The top 10 cornerbacks in Cleveland Browns history

10. Anthony Henry

The worst thing we can say about Anthony Henry's tenure in Cleveland is that it was far too short. A fourth-round pick out of South Florida in 2001, Henry boasted elite size for a cornerback at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds. He also possessed decent speed for that size, running a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash prior to the draft.

As a rookie, he played in 16 games with just two starts. Despite being the third cornerback on the team, he still saw the field often and had 10 interceptions. That tied him for the league lead, and he set a franchise record with a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Henry played just four seasons with the Browns and had 250 tackles, 49 pass defenses, 17 interceptions, and three forced fumbles. He left during the 2005 offseason when he signed a five-year, $25 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys. Henry played four seasons with the Cowboys before being traded to the Detroit Lions for Jon Kitna. He retired following the 2009 campaign.

9. Daylon McCutcheon

Daylon McCutcheon spent seven years with the Browns and proved to be well worth the third-round pick they used to bring him in. The USC product was undersized at just under 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, and his 4.52 time in the 40-yard dash didn't help his cause. That's not exactly a slow time, but smaller corners typically lean into their speed.

Once in Cleveland, McCutcheon proved to be a stud. He was a 15-game starter (while appearing in all 16 games) for the Browns in 1999 when they returned to the NFL. He had 79 tackles, eight pass defenses, and a pick.

He remained a starter for the remainder of his time in Northeast Ohio and had 431 tackles, 53 pass defenses, 12 interceptions, seven sacks, seven forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.

McCutcheon was a strong leader known for being a student of the game. Perhaps he would have garnered more attention had the organization been better during his career, but his contributions should not be forgotten.

8. Bernie Parrish

An old-school player cracks the list in Bernie Parrish. Taken in Round 9 of the 1958 NFL Draft, Parrish made his debut with the Browns in 1959 and played there for eight seasons.

He had some memorable moments, including a 92-yard pick-six in 1960. He even recorded an interception against Y.A. Tittle during the legendary quarterback's final career game in 1964.

Parrish was an aggressive player known for hard hits and a relentless playing style. He was one of the primary leaders on the 1964 defense that won the NFL Championship.

He technically played eight years for the Browns, but that included just one game in 1966. He asked to be released that season when he lost playing time. Parrish finished his final year with the Houston Oilers before retiring. With Cleveland, he appeared in 105 games, recording 29 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns.

7. Eric Wright

While he played in Cleveland for just four seasons, Eric Wright endeared himself to fans in a major way. A second-round pick (No. 53 overall) in 2007, the UNLV product proved to be a shutdown corner capable of taking on any opposing wideout.

He was a starter as a rookie and impressed with 76 tackles (71 of which were solo) and 11 pass defenses. He picked off just one pass that season but proved to be more of a ball hawk over the next two years. Wright had nine interceptions during his time in Cleveland, and seven of them came in 2008 and 2009. He even won the NFL Defensive Player of the Week Award in Week 6 of the 2008 campaign when he had a 94-yard pick-six against the Giants.

Wright left in free agency in 2011, signing with the Detroit Lions. After one year there, he went to Tampa Bay and San Francisco for one season each before calling it a career. Despite his solid play, he never earned any individual distinctions such as an All-Pro nod or Pro Bowl berth. As was the case with many players in Cleveland during that era, he was overlooked due to the team's struggles but still had a huge hand in their winning season in 2007.

6. Ron Bolton

Back to the old school, Ron Bolton was originally a member of the New England Patriots from 1972 through 1975. A full-time starter for the Pats, he was sent to Cleveland via trade in 1976. He played out the remaining seven years of his career in the Orange and Brown and continued to be a top-tier cornerback.

Bolton appeared in 90 games for the Browns with 75 starts. He was credited with 17 interceptions and one pick-six. His best campaign came in 1980 when he helped the Kardiac Kids make their deep playoff run after intercepting six passes in the regular season.

The veteran added another two interceptions during the playoffs, taking one back for a touchdown against the Raiders. He might not have taken home major awards, but his performance in the playoffs alone is enough for him to get love from the Dawg Pound.

5. Clarence Scott

Clarence Scott had an interesting career with the Browns that lasted 13 years. For eight of those seasons, he was a starting cornerback. He moved to safety in 1979 after turning 30 and played on the back end of the secondary for five more years.

The first defensive back taken in the 1971 NFL Draft (No. 14 overall), the Kansas State product was a ball hawk no matter where he lined up. He had four interceptions as a rookie, finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He then made the Pro Bowl two years later when he recorded five interceptions.

In all, he had 39 picks in 186 games with two defensive touchdowns. He was a huge piece of the puzzle as the Browns became one of the top teams in the AFC in the 1980s, and he even logged an interception during their 1982 playoff run.

4. Denzel Ward

After years of stockpiling draft picks and cap space, general manager Sashi Brown was let go in favor of John Dorsey. The fan-favorite replacement then burnt through picks and cap space while never truly building a winner. His downfall was his drafting as he reached for players such as Austin Corbett, Chad Thomas, and Antonio Callaway. But he still hit some home runs.

In 2018, the two big hits were Denzel Ward at No. 4 and Nick Chubb at No. 35. Both are still with the Browns, and they are each among the best at their respective positions.

Ward, an Ohio State product who was beloved from the moment he was selected, started from Day 1. He even had a tough task in his debut, covering Antonio Brown — before Brown froze his feet and fell off the deep end. The rookie held his own, even recording two picks as the Browns ended the game in a tie.

In his first six seasons, Ward had 273 tackles, 76 pass defenses, 15 interceptions, three forced fumbles, and four defensive touchdowns. He's also one of the highest-paid corners in the NFL after landing a five-year extension worth $100.5 million in 2022.

The only knock on Ward, who is a three-time Pro Bowler, is his durability. He's never played a full season and has missed a total of 20 games. The primary concern has been concussions; he's already dealt with five at just 27 years old.

3. Joe Haden

Joe Haden is so talented that he did the impossible. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent but never became a hated figure.

A star cornerback at Florida, Haden was taken at No. 10 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He burst onto the scene with six interceptions, 18 pass defenses, and a forced fumble as a rookie.

Throughout his seven-year tenure in Cleveland, he was one of the top cornerbacks in the entire NFL. A ball-hawk with exceptional timing, Haden had 62 pass break-ups, 19 interceptions, and four defensive touchdowns.

Haden was so dominant that he received a five-year, $68 million extension with $45 million guaranteed in 2014. Unfortunately, his salary led to his release in 2017 as former GM Sashi Brown wanted to clear space and add picks for a rebuild.

That led to Haden signing with Pittsburgh, where he spent the next five years. Fans were never angry with him for leaving and never forgave Brown, not Haden, for the decision. The three-time Pro Bowler retired in 2022 after signing a one-day contract with the Browns, making sure he retired with the correct team.

2. Hanford Dixon

The 22nd overall pick out of Southern Miss in 1981, Hanford Dixon spent nine seasons in Cleveland. He was a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler who had 26 interceptions in his career.

Dixon proved worthy on his own for several years but ascended to superstardom when paired with Frank Minnifield, who was added in 1984. The two formed one of the top cornerback duos in NFL history. Dixon was a physical cornerback known for shutting down opponents. He and the hard-hitting Minnifield would get fans fired up with Dixon often barking at them.

This led to the formation of the Dawg Pound cheering section, a name bestowed upon the fans by Dixon and Minnifield. While the nickname still refers to a section in the stadium, it is also now used universally for Browns fans.

1. Frank Minnifield

The No. 1 cornerback in Cleveland Browns history is none other than Frank Minnifield, who was paired with Hanford Dixon from 1984 through 1989, which was Dixon's final year. Minnifield stuck around for three more seasons, and while he wasn't the same Pro Bowl player we saw during his prime, he had four more interceptions during that span.

Minnifield was a standout in the USFL after going undrafted out of Louisville. Just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, his size led to him being overlooked, but he made sure scouts took notice of him during his time with the Chicago Blitz and Arizona Wranglers.

Cleveland ended up signing him in 1984, and he made four trips to the Pro Bowl and was a one-time All-Pro. He's been named a Cleveland Browns Legend and was on the 1980s All-Decade Team. To this day, his presence is felt, thanks to the part he played in creating the Dawg Pound nickname.

The 10 best cornerbacks in Browns history by interceptions

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