Browns Secondary Play Bolsters Team Ceiling
The Browns have compiled some dominant defensive efforts in recent weeks, and a good portion of the credit belongs to the secondary.
During the 2020 season, the team consistently put forth lackluster lineups in their backend. Secondary personnel handcuffed the defense and forced them into some simplistic looks throughout the season.
The front office set out to correct this problem during the offseason. Here is the entire list of players added to the backend this season.
- John Johnson III, S
- Grant Delpit, S (INJ)
- Greg Newsome II, CB
- Troy Hill, CB
- Greedy Williams, CB (INJ)
The unit struggled with communication issues early in the year, which is to be expected. Secondary play is predicated on having faith that everyone will uphold their job, and when that doesn't happen, opposing offenses can create explosive plays downfield.
It took over half the season, but the backend has finally started to gel. It feels like the Browns are trotting out one of the league's best secondaries, and even their depth contributes in a meaningful way.
Their efforts culminated in a dominant performance against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland locked down a star-studded passing attack, making quarterback Joe Burrow's life very hard.
Several secondary players had big plays to disrupt the flow of Cincinnati's offense. Corner Denzel Ward started the fun off by returning an interception for a 99-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game, and from there, every secondary member was glued to their opponent.
The play of this backend drastically bolsters Cleveland's playoff chances. In years past, the Browns have placed all of their hopes into edge rusher Myles Garrett, and while he is one of the best defenders in the league, he can only do so much.
This secondary allows the front-seven time to generate pressure, and their play in the backend forces opponents to alter their gameplan. This weekend they will go up against rookie quarterback Mac Jones, which will be another opportunity to go up against an inexperienced quarterback.
Most of their secondary is young and fast, which is exactly what defensive coordinator Joe Woods wants. His system relies on entrusting the backend with a ton of responsibility so that the front-seven can alter looks based on their matchup.
The Browns can now match almost every team in the league on offense because they have the backend to match up with any receiving core in the league. Moving forward, fans should expect even more dominant efforts from the defense because of how this secondary opens things up.
