The current Browns regime seems to be very good at identifying talent at the cornerback position, with 4 out of the 5 players listed here being either draft picks or undrafted free agent signings by Andrew Berry. This group contains some exceptional athletes and holds the potential to be a top 5 unit in the NFL. With Ward signing a 5-year, 100 million dollar contract there is no question about the number one corner, while Newsome, who had some adversity to deal with when moving in the slot is still developing. This group is going to be very fun to watch, so let’s take a closer look.
1. Denzel Ward
Ward possesses incredible athleticism and smooth hips that allow him to move stride for stride with opposing receivers. With legitimate 4.3-speed, he can keep up with any receiver running deep. Ward’s footwork is impressive, enabling him to react to receiver moves without any wasted movement. He can play zone and man coverage, yet he is not a dominant press man corner due to his size. Ward has developed an interesting technique, where he slides underneath blockers on screens, leading him to blowing up a few plays over the last seasons. Aside from that, he won’t be a major contributor in run defense or stopping ball carriers. While he can wrap up tackles, he might miss some against bigger players. Ward also possesses excellent ball skills, consistently generating turnovers as one of the few Browns’ defenders to do so. Overall, Ward is a great number one corner who had a down year in 2022. However, I believe many of the struggles can be attributed to overall bad communication, scheme and performance on the backend, rather than individual flaws.
2. Greg Newsome
Newsome is, in many ways a very similar player to Ward. They have approximately the same length, with Newsome being slightly taller but having shorter arms. Athletically speaking, Newsome isn’t quite as fast as Ward but still has enough speed to run with most receivers. His hip movement is fluent, and he can change direction quickly with minimal wasted movement. Last season, he played around half of his snaps in the slot, where he developed solid zone instincts in the middle of the field and significantly improved his tackling. However, he is also a very good outside corner, allowing him to switch positions in the game based on personnel and matchup. Additionally, he is a great character guy, always cheering on teammates and making sure to celebrate after big plays. As mentioned, his size and length obstruct him in contested catch situations occasionally, but he is capable of playing press man coverage in the right matchups. While his turnover production leaves a lot to desired, he is very good at preventing the receiver from getting the ball, but not as good at taking it away. Furthermore, he isn’t providing a lot of run support, as he is struggling to fight through most blocks. I anticipate that Newsome will play a similar role as last year, starting on the outside and moving in the slot in nickel personnel packages. He stands as one of the better number two corners in the NFL, and if he can increase his turnover production, he and Ward could be one of the league’s best cornerback duos for years to come.
3. Martin Emerson Jr.
Emerson brings a different skillset to the group as a longer and more physically imposing corner. While he might not possess the same speed and agility as Newsome and Ward, he compensates with his physical playstyle, rerouting receivers regularly. His long arms significantly help him in contested catch situations, where he is excellent at breaking up passes at the catch point. That also translates to his role as a reliable red zone corner, where he does not need to worry about getting beat deep. Additionally he is a very good tackler for a cornerback and can be an effective contributor in run defense. His top-end speed isn’t exceptional and if he can’t get his hands on the receiver he will get beat deep occasionally. Also, he isn’t the quickest corner and can struggle against good route runners that get out of their breaks explosively. Overall, Emerson is a nice matchup corner and great third piece to have in this room. He will probably be the nickel corner, but play on the outside with Newsome moving into the slot. If the game continues to slow down for him and he can sustain the progression of his rookie year, his role in this defense will steadily increase.
4. Cameron Mitchell
Mitchell was selected by the Browns in the 5th-round of the most recent draft. His skillset is most suited for the slot corner position, serving as a backup option if Newsome really doesn’t want to play in the slot again. He shares many skills with Newsome, albeit to a lesser degree. Mitchell is highly explosive and agile, although his top-end speed is somewhat lacking. Mitchell is a sure tackler from the slot and isn’t hesitant to get involved in the run game, which is why he should contribute on special teams as well, helping him to secure a roster spot. Due to his limited size and top-end speed, he might not be a full-time outside corner, indicating that his primary role will likely be in the slot.
5. A.J. Green
A.J. Green has been around for a significant amount of time as an undrafted free agent. He adds more length and physicality to the room, almost serving as a backup option to Emerson. He possesses some decent coverage instincts and movement ability, but nothing special. He lacks notable top-end speed and can struggle against faster receivers, needing safety help over the top. His strengths lie in zone coverage due to his athletic limitations, and he faces challenges in certain man-to-man matchups, which also limits his possible coverage assignments. The 5th corner spot could also be contested by Mike Ford, however, since Ford would primarily play at slot corner, I decided to go with Green here to provide some more depth on the outside. Ford would be a great special teams contributor but since the linebacker room is already stacked with great athletes, I didn’t think that would be enough to justify taking another slot corner. While Green’s ceiling is limited and you don’t really want him to play against a number one or two receiver, he can be adequate depth in the case of injury and also take on a role on special teams.
Cornerbacks on the 53-man roster (projection):
- Denzel Ward
- Greg Newsome
- Martin Emerson
- Cameron Mitchell
- A.J. Green
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