Cleveland Browns Film Room: M.J. Stewart Earned Larger Role
Stewart was the 53rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a solid prospect coming out of North Carolina, but it was a surprise to see him taken so high.
He spent two years as a rotational player for the Bucs before being waived prior to the 2020 season, and the Browns picked him up. Just like in Tampa Bay, Stewart struggled for the most part. He did log significant snaps in eight games, including 150 in the Week 17 and Wild Card victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Heading into 2021, Stewart's spot on the roster was far from assured, and he missed much of training camp and the entire preseason with injuries, but the Browns held onto him, and their faith was rewarded.
Stewart played a big role right out of the gate as Ronnie Harrison was ejected on the first drive of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs. He did miss a lot of time during the middle of the season, but when he was on the field, Stewart played very well in a variety of roles. He spent time in the box, in the slot, as a two-high strong and free, and a single-high angel. Stewart filled in where he was needed as Harrison, John Johnson, and Troy Hill all missed time at various points.
He functioned well in all those roles, and finished as Pro Football Focus's fourth-highest-graded safety, with the league's seventh-highest coverage mark. 328 snaps is not the largest sample size, but those metrics combined with film study show a player who is vastly improved from his first few seasons. One key area of improvement for him has been his anticipation; over his last two years in college and his first two seasons in the NFL, Stewart did not intercept a pass.
He picked off three in 2020 with the Browns, and while he didn't have any in 2021, he did break up four balls. His awareness in zone is much better and he reacts quicker to flats and drags from his safety spot.
Stewart is also effective in run support and brings a good deal of physicality to the secondary and was also Cleveland's highest-graded special teamer, logging the third-most snaps.
Stewart is now an unrestricted free agent and made just under $1.2 million last season. Based on his 2021 performance, he's worth more than that and his camp certainly knows that. Perhaps a deal worth around $15 million over three years would be good for both sides, giving Stewart some financial security and allowing the Browns to keep an effective and versatile component of their secondary. It's likely only one of Stewart and Ronnie Harrison will return, and Stewart is the more versatile and consistent player, not to mention the one who was just flat-out better last season.
M.J. Stewart's development into a legitimate quality player is a testament to both his work ethic and Cleveland's defensive coaching staff, which could enable him to become a key piece of this defense for the next few years.
