It's a pass-first league which means NFL teams can't have too many pass rushers or defensive backs on their respective rosters. The Cleveland Browns understand this as well as anyone, which is why they've worked to solidify both these parts of their defense in recent years.
Now with the 2023 season quickly approaching, we look at how their secondary stacks up in the AFC North. Are their offseason moves enough to put them ahead of their rivals?
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Cam Taylor-Britt
Chidobe Awuzie
Mike Hilton
Nick Scott
Dax Hill
Jordan Battle
For the past two seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals have been the team to beat in the AFC North. They won the division in 2021 with a 10-7 record and then made it to the Super Bowl — coming up just short against the Los Angeles Rams. They again won the North with 12 wins this past season and while they didn't get back to the big game, they were still one of the best teams in the AFC.
As good as they've been, their secondary hasn't been carrying them. Cincinnati currently has Cam Taylor-Britt and Chidobe Awuzie as their starting corners. While Awuzie has been better in Cincy than he was in Dallas, he's not a prototypical No. 1 cornerback.
Mike Hilton is their slot corner and right now and he's not far behind Awuzie with a 67.1 grade from PFF compared to 69.9 for Awuzie.
To their credit, they have added some youth recently with Dax Hill and 2023 draft pick Jordan Battle. Even with their addition, they enter this year last in the division.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Porter
Levi Wallace
Patrick Peterson
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Keanu Neal
Damontae Kazee
The Pittsburgh Steelers are known historically for having a tough defense but their secondary has been trending in the wrong direction for the past few years. That's why they went out and not only signed veteran Patrick Peterson but also used the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Joey Porter, Jr. from Penn State.
If that name sounds familiar, it's because Porter's father was a linebacker in the NFL for 13 years. He spent eight of those seasons with the Steelers, earning three Pro Bowl trips during that span.
Now, they hope the younger Porter can develop into a No. 1 corner which would allow Levi Wallace to become a CB2 again, which is where he's at his best.
At safety, the Steelers have one of the best in the game in Minkah Fitzpatrick. The former Miami Dolphins first-round pick had six interceptions in 2022 and can move all over the field. He has very few holes in his game and is frustrating to go against.
Outside of Fitzpatrick, there are concerns. Damontae Kazee is the other starter but at 174 pounds, he's struggled with durability. His former teammate in both Dallas and Atlanta, Keanu Neal, is there as well but Neal has bounced from safety to linebacker and back again.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Rock Ya-Sin
Marlon Humphrey
Brandon Stephens
Marcus Williams
Kyle Hamilton
Geno Stone
The Baltimore Ravens boast two superstars in the secondary — Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton. Humphrey has been around since 2017 and has 347 tackles, 71 pass defenses, and 12 picks to his credit. He's very physical and at times, he seems to get away with quite a bit of contact on the field.
Hamilton is still new to the NFL, but he made the most of his limited action. A first-round pick in 2022, he earned the highest PFF grade of any safety last season with an 87.6. He was also very consistent with his coverage and run defense, proving to be well worth the 14th overall selection.
As for the rest of their secondary, Marcus Williams is the biggest name followed by Rock Ya-Sin. Williams signed in 2022 after spending five seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He was the 18th highest-rated safety according to PFF with a grade of 73.9 — which was down from the 80.1 he had with New Orleans the prior year.
Ya-Sin is now on his third team in as many years after being traded from the Colts to the Raiders last year. Now in Baltimore, he's going to start across from Humphrey but he's never proven to be a long-term option.
They do feel good about their depth at safety with Geno Smith as the third option. However, Brandon Stephens as the third cornerback is the main reason they stay in second and can't surpass the Browns.
1. Cleveland Browns
Denzel Ward
Martin Emerson
Geg Newsome
Juan Thornhill
Rodney McLeod
Grant Delpit
Yes, the Ravens have some elite play at safety and they even have one of the more well-known cornerbacks in the NFL in Marlon Humphrey. However, they still can't surpass the unit Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns have put together ahead of the 2023 season.
When Berry took over, Cleveland had Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams and since then, he's added a lot of new faces. First, it was Grant Delpit, who was a second-round pick in 2020. Delpit unfortunately missed his rookie campaign due to a torn Achilles but since then, he's recorded 171 tackles, five interceptions, and 13 pass defenses.
Next, it was Greg Newsome, who has been a solid No. 2 cornerback across from Denzel Ward. He's been asked to play the slot position more since Berry added Martin Emerson in the 2022 NFL Draft and he's proven to be a legitimate starter in this league. He's even been praised as the top corner on the roster.
This offseason, Cleveland rounded things out by adding both Juan Thornhill and Rodney McLeod. Each is known for their ability to play the deep safety role, which will allow Delpit to stay where he's best suited, which means he will be attacking the ball rather than being stuck in zone.
Cleveland has not only the deepest secondary in the AFC North but also the best, thanks to these key additions ahead of the 2023 campaign.