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The Cleveland Browns don’t have a top corner duo in the NFL, yet

By Chad Porto

Nov 7, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) reacts with safety Ronnie Harrison (33) and cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) after scoring a touchdown in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) reacts with safety Ronnie Harrison (33) and cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) after scoring a touchdown in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Browns were left off the top corner duos conversation by PFF.

Apparently, PFF thinks the best corner duos in the NFL belong to either the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, or the Philadelphia Eagles. Nowhere on the list of considerations involved the Cleveland Browns, who some could argue should be on the list with their trio of cornerbacks. Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome were the duos most cited as being capable of competing for the top spot, but one could argue that Ward and Greedy Williams is just as enticing for that conversation.

Yet, I don’t think either combination is truly good enough to be considered the best in the NFL, not yet, anyway. There is great potential with Ward and Newsome especially and they’re easily in the Top 10 already, but the top spot? Ward is inconsistent at times and Newsome is just entering his second year in the league.

Putting them any higher with their known complaints against them would just be inauthentic. I don’t know if the Dolphins’ pair of Xavien Howard and Byron Jones is the top duo, or if the Packers’ Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes come in at number one. Surely a healthy combo of Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey could raise the bar in Baltimore. The Eagles did just pair James Bradberry with Darius Slay, so they could be the top dogs, but none of them are runaway selections.

Who is the top cornerback group in the NFL?

NFL.com had listed the New England Patriots duo of Stephen Gilmore and JC Jackson as the top duo heading into the 2021 season. Gilmore got traded to the Panthers in October, and he never actually played a snap for the Patriots in 2021. The runner-ups to that list were the Ravens, but since Peters tore his ACL he never got to play in 2021. That injury may also affect the Ravens’ positioning.

The Dolphins were third on that list, while the Broncos were fourth with four different players. They lost two of those names, and now only have Patrick Surtan and Ronald Darby left. Fifth was the Rams, who would probably have been number one, with Jalen Ramsey and Darius Williams, but Williams left LA to go to Jacksonville.

Sixth was the Steelers with Joe Haden and Cameron Sutton, but Haden was let go this offseason. The Browns’ duo of Ward and Williams were seventh.

So keeping in mind where NFL.com had everyone, and what PFF is seeing, it’s fair to say the Dolphins are the favorites to be the top duo in the NFL heading into 2022. Unlike the Ravens, they were mostly healthy in 2021 and had a good track record.

The Browns will likely be in the consideration at the end of the season but they have to prove Ward can be more consistent as the ace corner.

Next. 5 potential players who could be surprisingly cut by the Cleveland Browns. dark

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