After an interesting offseason, the Cleveland Browns will open up training camp in the next few weeks, with rookies reporting to Berea, OH, on July 18, followed by the vets on July 22.
Training camp and preseason represent the final opportunity for several players, including vets and undrafted rookies, to make one last push for the 53-man roster or practice squad. Most fans will be paying attention to the QB battle as the Browns still haven’t named a starter for Week 1 of the regular season.
That said, fans should also keep their eye on what happens with the secondary, as there are a lot of guys competing at cornerback and safety for limited spots. One veteran cornerback, who was re-signed this offseason, will have a tough road to making the 53-man roster.
New Browns CB Tony Brown II Competing for Roster Spot in Crowded Secondary
This offseason, the Browns didn’t move on from any of their starting cornerbacks, but instead added depth at the position. Cleveland signed Nik Needham to a one-year, $1.7 million contract, and also re-signed Tony Brown II to a one-year, $1.33 million deal.
Cleveland also signed two veteran safeties in Damontae Kazee and Rayshawn Jenkins, which could force the Browns to make a tough decision this summer. Brown could be the odd man out, as Needham has the versatility to play safety and has been a starter before.
However, the same cannot be said for the 29-year-old Brown, who has been a backup and a special-teams contributor for most of his NFL career.
In his first season in Cleveland (2024), the 6-foot, 200-pound defensive back only appeared in six games. The veteran cornerback didn’t make the team out of training camp last summer, but was immediately signed to the practice squad.
Cleveland elevated Brown three times from the practice squad before signing him to the active roster on October 10. In the six games he appeared in, the veteran cornerback recorded five combined tackles and a forced fumble.
Brown spent all of his time on the field, playing special teams (81 percent) before being put on injured reserve with a foot injury. Heading into training camp, the 29-year-old defensive back has a small chance of making the roster because of his ability to play special teams.
However, if this Browns team is trying to get younger and turn the page on last year, it might be best for them to allow Myles Harden or an undrafted free agent cornerback to make the team.