Cleveland Browns: Stock up , stock down for Week 1

Week 1, Stock Up: Grant Delpit

Grant Delpit’s play in the season opener was nothing short of spectacular. The ultra-physical safety was making plays all over the field against the Bengals. Delpit led the Browns stellar defensive performance with eight total tackles.

Seven of Delpit’s tackles were of the solo variety with one coming behind the line of scrimmage. Delpit also added a quarterback hit and notched a pass defensed when he was in a one-on-one with Ja'Marr Chase (the man who hates elves for some reason). For a player in a contract year, it would be hard to imagine Delpit having a better showing to start the season.

Jim Schwartz’ defense was playing with physical edge and a fiery intensity all afternoon long and Grant Delpit was the player that was leading that charge.

Week 1, Stock Down: Jedrick Wills

This was not the start that the Browns needed from fourth-year left tackle Jedrick Wills. The former top-10 pick has been the subject of scrutiny all offseason long. Some of the noise died down a little when the Browns opted to pick up Wills’ fifth-year option.

But as clips began to flood social media of Wills getting beat routinely by Myles Garrett, the noise kicked back up. It was easy to sell it as ‘it’s Myles Garrett he does that to all offensive tackles’, which is a valid response.

However, after the performance Wills put up against Trey Hendrickson in the season opener, expect the noise surrounding Wills to become deafening. Hendrickson worked Wills like a summer job on Sunday. Deshaun Watson was constantly under pressure at the top of his drop from his blindside and the majority of it was due to Wills’ inability to establish his pass set.

While Hendrickson is a Pro Bowl caliber defensive end, the road does not get easier from here. Next Monday night, Wills will be tasked with stopping ascending edge rusher Alex Highsmith on a national stage. Point blank, Wills needs to be better.