Browns: Greedy Williams has officially begun his comeback

Browns cornerback Greedy Williams is set to return to the field.

The words of L.L. Cool J might be relevant here, but whether or not you want to call it a comeback or not, that’s exactly what Greedy Williams is going to be attempting. The first pick in the Browns 2019 Draft Class, Williams came in as an instant starter on that version of the team; playing across from Denzel Ward in what should’ve been a revamped secondary. Williams struggled as a rookie, not unexpected as most rookies at his position do.

Yet, despite being taken in the second round, many had high hopes for him. The problem came when he started developing issues with his shoulder. The injury was apparently to nerves in the joint, which caused him to miss out on the entire 2020 playoff season. It was a loss the team was not expecting, having to rely on Kevin Johnson and M.J. Stewart as the second corner on the team.

Coupled that with Ward’s own injury issues, the secondary was a wreck for a lot of 2020. That’s partly why the Browns overhauled the position during the 2021 offseason.

Greedy Williams is no lock to start.

The Browns went out and got Troy Hill and 2021 first-round pick, Greg Newsome. Both men are expected to vie for the starting spot opposite of Ward, and with Greedy Williams returning to the field, he’ll be thrown into the mix as well.

The injury issues with Williams, on top of his poor play, when he was able to get on the field, are not giving much hope that he’ll be what many had expected him to be as a rookie. He has a long road ahead of him and has far more talent to compete with for playing time in 2021 than he did in 2019.

Even if he doesn’t get the job as a starter, he’ll be valuable as a nickel or dime corner at the very least. Maybe he’s not better than Newsome or Hill, but he’s better than M.J. Stewart or Kevin Johnson.

Williams is back, now we just have to hope that he can live up to the potential many saw on draft night.