2 Cleveland Browns make the Top 32 of PFF’s cornerbacks but how?

The Cleveland Browns have two top 32 cornerbacks according to PFF.

The Cleveland Browns have two cornerbacks in PFF’s Top 32 Cornerback list. Those two men are Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome. And if we’re being honest, neither name should surprise us.

While Ward has had an up-and-down career, he’s never been worse than a good starter, while never being better than a Top 10 in the league. He’s inconsistent but you know where his floor and ceiling are. This is why it’s not surprising to see him at No. 14, according to PFF, with PFF describing the pick;

"14. Denzel Ward, Cleveland BrownsWard is coming off a subpar season for the Browns, but the defense as a whole collapsed and likely heavily contributed to that. Ward still had multiple elite games in 2022 and had shown a very high baseline of play before that year. With a rebuilt Browns defensive line in 2023, Ward might put himself back among the very best."

Newsome, for his part, would appear on the list as well, but at No. 27, with PFF saying about him;

"27. Greg Newsome II, Cleveland BrownsIt felt like the entire Browns secondary fell apart last season, but Newsome quietly backed up an impressive rookie season with another good campaign. He has still yet to register an interception in the NFL but has 14 pass breakups over that time and allowed just 9.8 yards per reception in 2022."

How did The Cleveland Browns get two cornerbacks on PFF’s Top 32 Cornerback list?

This may seem like a “duh” type of question, but how did the Cleveland Browns get two cornerbacks on PFF’s Top 32 list? That’s not some type of tongue-in-cheek question, either. Many reports, and many rumors, have Martin Emerson, and not Newsome, as the team’s second cornerback.

There were reports of the team not being happy with Newsome’s play and that Emerson was in line to start over him, as well as rumors about Newsome not being happy as a slot/nickel corner.

Even looking at their PFF scores, which you’d think would be important considering this is a PFF article, Emerson beats out Newsome. Emerson posted an overall of 72.5 and a coverage score of 75.1, while Newsome’s scores were 69.1 and 72.3 respectively.

So while I’m glad the Browns are getting some love from PFF, I have to wonder why it was Newsome and not Emerson on the list.

• Published on 06/24/2023 at 20:43 PM
• Last updated at 06/24/2023 at 20:43 PM