The Cleveland Browns finally did right by their veteran defensive backs. They gave Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit lucrative contract extensions to keep them in town through their prime years.
That should all but end speculation regarding their futures with the organization. They had said and done all the right things about wanting to stay in Cleveland, but now that they've put pen to paper, it should be a fact.
That's why the pressure should be elsewhere now. When asked about the new extensions, head coach Todd Monken playfully put assistant coaches Brandon Lynch (defensive backs) and Ephraim Banda (pass game coordinator) on notice, as they won't have any excuses now.
“I mean, they’ve got the highest-priced secondary in the frickin’ league,” he told the team's internal show Cleveland Browns Daily. “So now the pressure’s on them."
The Browns have invested too much in their secondary for excuses
The Browns revamped their offense on and off the field this offseason. Monken's arrival brought a myriad of new assistant coaches, and they also added a new starting offensive line and multiple playmakers on that side of the ball.
The defense, however, will look pretty much the same. Monken said that he was willing to keep Jim Schwartz on the team for the remainder of his contract, and he kept his word by retaining most of Schwartz's coaching staff following his departure.
The Browns kept most of the same players with some additions here and there, and while parting with Myles Garrett is obviously a big blow, the Browns' defense should be as good as it has been in recent years. New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg will keep much of what worked under Schwartz while adding his own wrinkles in coverage.
Early reports from training camp have been encouraging, with Denzel Ward, Jared Verse, and Mason Graham turning heads and looking in midseason form already. More importantly, the veterans have embraced a leadership role.
A lot has been said of the post-Garrett Browns, but one thing's for sure: They're proving with their actions that they meant it when they said this wasn't a rebuilding year. They won't tank. They want to compete right now, even though they know they'll probably need a year or two to take a big leap.
Moving Ward and Delpit would have made the most sense for a rebuilding team. They probably could have still landed something decent in return. Instead, they're keeping two of the team's best defensive players to help lead the way.
Monken was clearly joking when he called out his assistant coaches, but the subtext is pretty clear. This team isn't here to mess around and make up excuses just because they're in the first year of a new regime. The Browns might be young and inexperienced on paper, but they're here to win football games, and anything short of that won't be tolerated.
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