The Cleveland Browns get their cornerbacks and safeties examined this time around.
We’re continuing our march through the roster as the preseason looms overhead. The Cleveland Browns are attempting to muster a Super Bowl team but do they have the parts right now to really warrant such a conversation? Well, we’ve gone through the quarterbacks, ball carriers, receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, and the linebackers, and so far, so…meh.
Will the safeties and corners be much of an upgrade over years past? Honestly, the answer is no. The team has done a lot of damage to their secondary this offseason, namely trading away Troy Hill, the team’s best tackling cornerback, and letting cornerback turned safety MJ Stewart leave in free agency.
Those two departures hurt the team, and hurt the secondary.
This is going to be an evaluation of a thin cornerback squad, and a group of safeties that all have the same, soul-destroying, hate-fueling, career-ending word attached to them; potential. So because of that, a proper evaluation will be harder to achieve.
Now, remember, these aren’t the final grades of a guy’s career, only where they’re going based on prior years. These grades can and will change for the most part as the year goes on.
The Boilerplate Stuff
"The below grades are intended for individual talent evaluations only. Letter grades are given “+” or “-” to determine exactly where they rank among others in that grade. For instance, an A- is a Pro Bowler, an “A” is your top-of-the-class, All-Pro type, while an “A+” is for your guys playing at a Hall of Fame level. INC – Given to expected practice squad players with little-to-no tape on them F –expected to be out of the league before the end of his rookie contract D – practice squad guy C – could get minutes as a backup B – starter A – among the league’s best Positional grades are more optics related. In that regard here’s how that would break down; F – Position is a determinate to the team and talent is needed. D – Not a very talented group/too many unknowns. C – League average, can win with them but will also lose with them. B- A strength on the team. A – Among the league’s very best."
Corners
Shaun Jolly, Herb Miller, Parnell Motley, Reggie Robinson II
I actually think one of these four men will make the main roster, just who, however, is anyone’s guess. None of them are particularly interesting nor have any of them blown people away but that’s what the preseason is for.
Grade: F
A.J. Green
For an undrafted free agent, A.J. Green (not that one), has had all the hype in the world surrounding him. Yet, here we are, three years later, and he’s no closer to living up to that hype of being the then-highest paid undrafted free agent in history. He’ll need a big preseason to avoid being cut.
Grade: D+
Martin Emerson Jr (R)
A third-round pick, Martin Emerson Jr. is being tasked with replacing Troy Hill in the Browns’ secondary. He wasn’t a pick I was particularly high on, and I don’t think the Browns got “their guy” so to speak. He has to prove he can tackle as well as Hill, which won’t be an easy task for the rookie.
Grade: C-
Greg Newsome II
I enjoyed Greg Newsome’s rookie year. I don’t think he did anything special, nor are we talking about a guy who flashed Pro Bowl potential in year one, but if this is as good as Newsome gets, that may be ok.
Grade: B-
Greedy Williams
Being able to stay healthy has given Greedy Williams a boost, and it’s a very welcomed one. He’s been plagued by issues his first two years, so seeing him bounce back in year three was welcomed. Can he continue his upward trend, however?
Grade: B
Denzel Ward
Don’t be mad that Denzel Ward missed out on an “A”, we all know he isn’t that guy. He’s either too hurt or too inconsistent to be consistently considered great. He’s good enough that you don’t want him walking in free agency, but he isn’t good enough that you won’t have buyers remorse in doing so.
Grade B+
Safeties
D’Anthony Bell, Luther Kirk IV, Nate Meadors
Next.
Grade: F
Ronnie Harrison Jr
No one has been a bigger disappointment since 2020 than Ronnie Harrison. He came in hot but tapered off throughout the year. Then 2021 happened and he wasn’t just bad, but his attitude issues popped up. Many thought it was just Jacksonville bringing out the worst in him, but nope, he is who we thought he was. His declining play made him expendable but Andrew Berry can’t seem to let go of bad players.
Grade: D+
Richard LeCounte III
If I hear one more time about how he was a Pro Bowl-caliber player before his injuries, I may yack in someone’s face. I don’t care what he was, I care what he is. That’s because he is a fifth-round pick the Browns are hoping can start for them, despite not looking good as a rookie. He may continue to improve as he gains mobility and strength in his foot, which was allegedly hurt during rehab for other injuries, but his lack of speed and impact is noticeable. He may get better, always a chance, but until he does, I worry about the team’s depth.
Grade: C-
Grant Delpit
Same situation, a safety with major injuries that hampered his career, and another guy the Browns are hoping can start. The only difference here is we’ve seen Grant Delpit play a full-ish season with the Browns and we were left utterly unimpressed. Will he get better? It’s hard to say but at 24, there’s a shot.
Grade: C
John Johnson III
I don’t see the Browns cutting John Johnson III anytime soon, not with the fact they’d eat so much of his contract, and it only has two years left on it. He didn’t impress his first year in Cleveland and his entire position is among the worst on the team, partly due to his inability to raise the quality of his game. He’s the best we got though and that’s about all there is that.
Grade: C+
Positional Grades
Losing M.J. Stewart and Troy Hill really affected this team as far as perception goes. They were two of the better players on the team, and even if you were all-in on rookie Martin Emerson, keeping Hill would’ve and could’ve given you depth at safety.
This is why it’s so important to have depth at positions because while the top three corners are very good, the rest of the entire secondary is very weak. Considering the injury history between Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward, the minute one of them goes down the entire secondary will be exposed.
You can’t just expect guys to step up, because that’s rarely how it works. We don’t know what Emerson can be, and fans truly don’t factor in how impossible it is to predict how a rookie will adapt to the pro game. If Emerson takes to the coaching well, he could be great, if he doesn’t, we’re really going to be hurting.
There’s a reason why a guy as good as Denzel Ward is so hard to find, so expecting Emerson to be able to fill his shoes, or Williams’ for that matter, is unrealistic. That’s why the depth and consistency of a veteran like Hill were so important.
Stewart was the best safety on the Browns last year and Andrew Berry let him go because he didn’t draft him. That’s the only explanation I have as to why the Browns didn’t pursue someone who had such a good year in their system.
Safeties: C+
Corners: B+
Secondary: B-