IMO the Browns have one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
Corner: Ward, Newsome, Greedy, Green, Emerson
Safety: JJ, Harrison, Delpit, LeCounte,
You have to have corners. It was a surprise to draft Emerson. But you need depth and you need guys who are versitile. Emerson is a big long corner. They like what he brings. At 6'2" 201 he is big.
Ward is one of the best period. Newsome was a terrific pick last season. He showed he can stick with his man. Huge upside with a guy who can play boundry and come into the slot.
I have always liked Greedy. He is so smooth and long. He can flip his hips with the best. Greedy is a natural corner. His injury was a setback. Nerve damage is serious and hard to understand. You don't know when it will recover. He played well in relief last year. The brace is off and he will be in great shape this season. Newsome inside. Greedy will play outside.
Green is great depth. He put some good tape together last season.
JJ is a good safety. I believe this season he will be better.
I am a huge Delpit fan. Loved him coming out of college. He is the new safety breed. Can play all over. He can cover deep and play downhill. I think he will have a excellent season. My surprise player.
I was a bit surprised they resigned Harrison. Thought he struggled last year. He is a box safety IMO. The year before he played well in his role. I see him as a package guy to come in and play in down and distance matchups.
LeCounte in limited play did pretty well. He is a developmental guy with upside.
Woods has to be high as a kite. He has the players to fit his defensive vision. Woods was a former secondary coach. He has the physical types he likes. He has players who have the traits he likes. He wants players who are versitile and can play in space. He loves length in recovery.
I think our secondary will be a unit we should be happy with.
I think our secondary should be close to elite. Our first 3 CB's are all very talented. The back ups more than competent.
JJ hasn't lived up to his billing when he moved from the Rams - but he's not been on a Browns D that was as well rounded as this one should be. I agree we should see him elevate his game. And like you I was high on Delphit. His injury in his rookie season was a blow - but he flashes everything we thought we'd see when we drafted him. And Harrison was more reckless and undisciplined than any other Browns player last year, he's physical but I see hitting instead of tackling and a hot head. Hopefully he plays with more intelligence this year.
Lots to like for sure.
Last edited by mgh888; 06/16/2207:35 AM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
I like his scheme. I believe in what he was trying to do. His first year he did not have the players. Last season the defense improved dramatically.
We have to all keep in mind that we have never had coaching continuity. What we will see is the benefit of keeping a coaching staff. The roster we are building is what this staff wants in players.
It is hard to coach a scheme you believe is right without players who fit. Woods had to do the best he could.
We are not finished. But he now has players who fit his defensive vision.
I believe in a teams playing personality. Woods wants pressure from his front four. He does not want to blitz. He will use the biltz as strategic weapon.
He wants his lb's and secondary to be guys who can do many things and be able to play in space. The base is a 4-2-5.
Well, we have Greedy not practicing again. He seems to always be a wild card in the availability department. Although I won't be as hard on Ward as 'Peen (hospital WARD lol), he also seems to be in the "nagging injury" dept. I'm hopeful that Newsome proves to be the type that is always out there and avoids the constant "bugs".
I'll hand it to Woods in one respect, he seems to have everybody ready for any given role from game to game. No matter who you are, your secondary is only as good as the latest injury report dictates if there are two or more on the list.
I agree w/your takes on the players for the most part. No argument at all on the corners. I'm not as sold on the safeties. Delpit doesn't change directions very well, but he is good running in a straight line. JJ was disappointing. I expected more. Harrison had too many dumb penalties.
You are right about the blitzing. We were 30th in blitz percentage in 2020 and 23rd last year. We were effective when blitzing. We ranked second in the league in creating pressures while blitzing at 65.9% of the time. Our sack rate was 13.3% which ranked 11th overall.
If you look at entire set of data, that is actually quite impressive.
My eyes told me that we were very effective at blitzing when running our Quarters coverage and that makes sense due to positioning on the field. However, I don't have data for that opinion.
Good post. Blitzing numbers seem to present a chasm in respect to frequency vs success. I realize success rate will go down as frequency increases, but think it should be utilized more than "strategic weapon". I've often watched games and thought Woods prefers "death by 1000 stabs with an ice pick, for fear of the guillotine". I know there's a time and a place, but when a QB is having his way, drive after drive, and you're in a shootout, may as well "bring the heat" and at least see if you can get him back on his heels. Jmo, and I'm by no means an Xs and Os guru.
As far as Delpit, you've raised the point before and I tend to agree. However, he missed his rookie season after a college career that had him filling multiple roles. I feel like he showed a lot of improvement down the stretch and expect that trajectory to continue.
JJIII? That's where I'm interested on your opinion on the following... Preface: He's been called the "QB of the defense" multiple times by Woods. I also recall a response by him in the locker room after a tough loss; saying something along the lines of "we need to be allowed to play more instinctually"... it seemed like a thinly-veiled jab at Woods. Combine that with the image of him frequently throwing his arms in the air in frustration after a broken play.
So, is it just a matter of repetition and a strong off-season that will see him turn the corner and he and Woods will be on "the same page" to a larger degree? What is a "QB on defense" in it's basic form? If he is "that", is he being limited with his audibles (for lack of a better term)? Obviously, if he's recognized as "that guy" (and he was before he got here as well), he definitely has it together upstairs... does he really have the skillset to match?
As far as Delpit, you've raised the point before and I tend to agree. However, he missed his rookie season after a college career that had him filling multiple roles. I feel like he showed a lot of improvement down the stretch and expect that trajectory to continue.
All true. I haven't formed a deep-rooted opinion on him. Don't like second level defenders w/poor lateral movement, but I haven't seen enough to put that label on him. Just something I noticed.
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JJIII? That's where I'm interested on your opinion on the following... Preface: He's been called the "QB of the defense" multiple times by Woods. I also recall a response by him in the locker room after a tough loss; saying something along the lines of "we need to be allowed to play more instinctually"... it seemed like a thinly-veiled jab at Woods. Combine that with the image of him frequently throwing his arms in the air in frustration after a broken play.
I was unaware that he said being allowed to play more instinctually. Myles made a comment about adjustments at one point as well. I don't like crap like that. Don't show up your coaches or teammates. Keep it in-house if you have an issue. Saying stuff like that to the press is a huge no-no in almost every avenue of sports and teams.
Most of the answers to your questions are "I don't know." LOL......but, I'll try and answer as best I can. I just don't like to act like I know what I am talking about when I don't.
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So, is it just a matter of repetition and a strong off-season that will see him turn the corner and he and Woods will be on "the same page" to a larger degree?
I really don't know. I can say that I think he improved later in the year. I remember thinking that he was really disappointing and struggling much of the year. Maybe familiarity helps. I think he had a good rep in LA, so it's possible he plays much better next year, but I really don't know.
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What is a "QB on defense" in it's basic form?
The FS is typically the QB of the secondary and maybe the defense. The Mike can also be the QB of the defense, as well. Those guys are usually smarter than the other positions in their respective units. They also are in parts of the field that give them a better view of the offense. The FS can recognize formations, motion, alignments, etc to adjust the particular coverage they are in. They give tips on what to watch for. A lot of these things are based on film study and recognizing tendencies due to down and distance, formations, time of the game, field position, etc. Having smart guys is a huge bonus to the rest of the a particular unit or defense. Just like having a smart qb or center is so helpful to an offense in regards to line calls, audibles, hot reads, etc.
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does he really have the skillset to match?
I'm not sure. He looks athletic to me. Good height and weight distribution for the position. Seems agile. At times, I think his feet got crossed up and this caused him to lose ground in coverage. I'll need to see more to give a better answer. Sorry, I couldn't help more. Good questions though and I love football conversations. Thanks.
After numerous times reading things like "defensive signal caller" and "calling out the plays on d" your explanation helps with understanding. Basically he's calling out the play as relayed from the sideline and making adjustments and vocal notations as he sees fit. Sounds like you need someone with great intellect and maturity, and that person would probably spend more one-on-one time with the DC during the week with film study. He would also need to be on the same page in being able to communicate any nuance during the flow of the game as relayed from the DC.
As far as his comments (can't find the sound byte, google is a b), it was definitely low on the bombshell scale. He's very well spoken and placed blame across the board with the biggest finger being pointed at himself. I remember it being much more of a "hmmm" than a "wow"... and certainly not a "oh no he didn't!" lol.
Fate, read this excerpt from a larger article. I just googled the FS changing coverages after we talked and found this simple explanation. This might help you--and others who are curious. It is a better and more thorough explanation of what I was trying to convey.
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During the week, coaches do several things to prepare for upcoming games. The initial portion involves watching film, understanding the opponent’s strengths/weaknesses, and identifying patterns/tendencies. The defensive coach then comes up with a strategy to mitigate the opponents weaknesses and anticipate game play based on what an opponent has done previously in similar situations. While all the coaches contribute to this process, generally the defensive coordinator pulls together a total game plan and dictates strategies for individual situations. This strategy is then conveyed to the players at practice and through meetings.
As part of this strategy, the coordinator will create personnel packages (differing from the base package) that he will use for different scenarios. A common example of such that effects the defensive backfield is the "nickel package". This personnel package involves the use of five defensive backs. During the week, players will be briefed on typical situations that will warrant the use of this "nickel package" during the week’s game, and will thus be cognizant during the game of such scenarios. When the coach wants to change the personnel on the field, the coordinator or another coach can usually be seen running up and down the sidelines screaming the name of the new package to players on the bench and on the field. The players then know who should be on the field and shuffle on/off accordingly. It should be noted that the defensive coordinator makes this change in anticipation of what the offense will do and what formation/personnel he thinks the offense will utilize.
There are several ways that a defensive coordinator may get the play to the players on the field. Teams that constantly (mostly) utilize base their package may huddle (note, it is common for just the front four and linebackers to huddle, as DB’s often have further to go to get into position and often base their coverage on the offensive look given). The middle linebacker usually gets a signal from the sidelines and relays the defensive call to the defense while in the defensive huddle. Otherwise--if no huddle is utilized--the entire defense will look to the sidelines and get the defensive call. Items included in this call could include blitz schemes and basic (man or zone) coverage calls. Once this information is communicated, the defenders line up and await the offense.
The defense will make further adjustments once they see the offense line up. The free safety usually dictates the defensive coverage adjustments. The FS looks at the offensive alignment and the offensive personnel package and will then call out the coverage to the secondary (and possibly the LB’s). When the safety makes a call, he repeatedly looks around and yells out a coverage scheme. It is the responsibility of the other defenders to ensure that they know the coverage. You will often see a corner call back or signal to the safety the call to ensure that the correct coverage will be in place. These coverage calls are dictated through basic defensive philosophy and through the research that the players/coaches have done on the opposition prior to this play.
I don't think the Browns secondary is anywhere close to elite beyond the basics. They may have the basics down but I think the KC playoff game showed, one wrinkle and they looked like they were unprepared. It's up to the coaches, I guess, to get em ready and figure it out. Sure the Browns secondary may be alright at, being what they are, rush from anywhere, play different spots, multiple guys who can get turnovers, if what they face is the run of the mill offensive play, but, a wrinkle thrown in, a stutter stop and a cut back and the Browns players, with all their talent, look just as much like they are on roller skates as the less talented guys. The Browns haven't won anything yet, there is a ton of work they should be doing, including the coaches.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
I hope Browns coaches don't come up with a stategy to mitigate the opponents weaknesses. Who would want to mitigate an opponents weakness. Sounds truly OIC. Mitigate: - to make less severe or less painful. ( I want the opponents weaknesses to be as severe as possible.) To whoever wrote the article in the first place.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
Although I won't be as hard on Ward as 'Peen (hospital WARD lol), he also seems to be in the "nagging injury" dept.
Make no mistake, I like Ward a lot. He is one of the top 3-4 corners in the league. You can't really do much better.
My only issue is all of his injuries. It is what it is....or, knock on wood, was what it was.
As for some of the others, JJ started slow last year, but finished in good shape. I would expect to see that as his starting point this year now that he is a part of the team and knows what is going on in the defensive backfield.
Harrison is a safety, and didn't look all that good last season for reasons mentioned. With us in a 4-2-5 type D, I almost see Harrison as a LB. JOK and Phillips will be our 2 mainstays at backer, but if 1 has to sit for some reason, I could see Harrison stepping in that role. I don't know that Taki or Fields, or whoever has the range we might want out of the backer position.
I see him as a jack-of-all type player who can be pretty good at several different roles, even if not real good at any. Kind of a "insurance" policy. If somebody gets banged up Harrison can step in and do well enough that it isn't going to kill you or make you alter the plan a whole lot.
My feeling is Harrison might have been let go, but Woods is the one who stood up for the guy because of his versatility.
Overall the backfield is as solid as any in the game. We are good and deep. It's the least of our defensive worries. Both of the other defensive units have some questions
Last edited by Ballpeen; 06/17/2203:53 AM.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
The Cleveland Browns enter over a month off between the end of mandatory minicamp this week and the beginning of training camp in late July. As is true with all teams, injuries can derail a season quickly as could significant discipline for QB Deshaun Watson.
Jack Conklin’s recovery from last year’s devastating knee injury was the biggest medical issue coming into the offseason. Greedy Williams and Jakeem Grant joined Conklin in sitting out minicamp practices with undisclosed injuries.
A big scare in the final practice of minicamp, which took place at FirstEnergy Stadium, was when Denzel Ward left the field earlier with medical staff.
According to a new report, Ward dodged any significant foot injury and should be ready for training camp:
An MRI and X-ray on the left foot which Ward injured during Thursday’s practice inside First Energy Stadium showed no structural damage, a league source confirmed to the Beacon Journal. He is expected to be available once training camp starts July 27.
The good news continued with Williams’ injury:
Greedy Williams spent much of the three days working with a trainer off to the side as he recovers from what is, per reports, a sprained ankle that also isn’t expected to be a long-term issue.
This early in the offseason, Cleveland likely played it cautious with any injury concerns. With Troy Hill traded in the offseason and Greg Newsome II moving inside during three-receiver sets, Ward and Williams will be the team’s primary outside corners.
Health is vital in the NFL, Ward and Williams being healthy for training camp is great news going into the weekend.
Denzel had an ankle injury yesterday. I hate hearing that and hope it's minor and won't slow him down this year.
Its June folks he will be fine ....
John 3:16 Jesus said "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Every year their seems to be a position group that is the community Kool aid This year is its the secondary . I think on paper it looks impressive Alot of players that made big time plays in the SEC litter the secondary But this is not a elite secondary by any means. The Browns allowed 29 TD passes in 2021. I don't think this secondary gets enough takeaways via INT or FR. QBs in the 4th q,last year were able to throw the ball on this secondary This secondary will face some good QBs this year Can't allow the Herberts Mahomes and Allens to have their way this year Someone needs to play at a very high level other than Ward.
I'm pretty sure fans of another team would have nothing nice to say about any one of the good players on the Browns. So when I never read a positive statement about a Browns player and a hundred negative ones, I wonder.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
If Joe Haden were on the Browns, where would Joe Haden play?
I think Joe Haden could be a deep cover corner/safety in dime and 7 Db defenses, that would allow more time for players like, Ronnie Harrisson, JJ3, Grant Delpit, and others to play Safety more in the box, and more on blitzes, While still having 2 viable safeties deep. Joe Haden and one other.
Joe Haden would allow the Browns to have 2 safeties in the box, and 2 safeties deep.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
2022 NFL secondary rankings: Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers take top spots
Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens free safety Brandon Stephens (21) and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) react after breaking up a Minnesota Vikings pass during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
By Michael Renner Jun 27, 2022 PFF has made its position clear on the coverage versus pass rush debate for team-building purposes. Nothing on the defensive side of the football translates better to points allowed than a secondary's performance in coverage. That means if a team expects to field a top-three defense in the NFL, it better at least end up as a Tier 1 unit on this list when we revisit after the season.
TIER 1: WHERE DO OFFENSES EVEN ATTACK? 1. BALTIMORE RAVENS CB: Marcus Peters CB: Marlon Humphrey NCB: Kyle Fuller S: Chuck Clark S: Marcus Williams
There are a lot of complete secondaries around the NFL, making the Tier 1 rankings a toss-up in a number of ways. The Ravens simultaneously have some of the most question marks heading into 2022 from a health perspective while also possessing the highest-end elite potential. Four of their five starters have earned top-10 grades at their respective positions at some point over the past four seasons. And this list doesn’t even include rookie first-rounder Kyle Hamilton, who will undoubtedly factor in heavily.
2. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS CB: Carlton Davis CB: Jamel Dean NCB: Sean Murphy-Bunting S: Antoine Winfield Jr. S: Mike Edwards
We go from one of the most experienced secondaries in the NFL to one with four starters still on rookie deals. A large part of the Bucs “running it back” from a roster-building perspective was their ability to hit on so many players in their defensive secondary the past five years, allowing the team to allocate money elsewhere. With Dean, Murphy-Bunting and Edwards all set to hit free agency after this season, 2022 may be the last time we see this Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay unit in Tier 1.
3. CLEVELAND BROWNS CB: Denzel Ward CB: Greg Newsome II NCB: Greedy Williams S: John Johnson III S: Grant Delpit
This unit not only has proven studs in Ward and Johnson, but also three ascending top-50 draft picks who have all played two or fewer NFL seasons. What this unit could be is scary to think about, as we already saw quality play from Newsome, Williams and Delpit down the stretch in 2021.
4. GREEN BAY PACKERS CB: Jaire Alexander CB: Eric Stokes NCB: Rasul Douglas S: Adrian Amos S: Darnell Savage
The Packers earned the eighth-best coverage grade of any team in the NFL last season despite Alexander, the league's highest-paid cornerback, playing only 227 snaps all year. He is not only the highest-paid cornerback, but also the highest-graded one in his last full season of action (2020). Adding that to an already top-eight unit is a scary thought for opposing offenses.
5. MIAMI DOLPHINS CB: Xavien Howard CB: Byron Jones NCB: Nik Needham S: Jevon Holland S: Brandon Jones
This may not be the most complete secondary in Tier 1, but man do the Dolphins have some game-changers. No player has more interceptions than Xavien Howard’s 27 since he entered the NFL. There’s a good chance he’s not even the most impactful player in Miami's secondary anymore after 2021 rookie Jevon Holland started his career like a house on fire. The second-rounder was already the third-highest-graded safety in the league last season.
6. BUFFALO BILLS CB: Tre’Davious White CB: Kaiir Elam NCB: Taron Johnson S: Jordan Poyer S: Micah Hyde
A lot of how the Bills ultimately perform as a secondary falls on Tre’Davious White’s health after he tore his ACL last season. It also falls on how quickly first-rounder Kaiir Elam can adjust to the NFL game. That being said, Buffalo still fields the most consistent safety duo in the NFL — both Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer earned top-eight grades at the position last season.
7. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS CB: Marshon Lattimore CB: Paulson Adebo NCB: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson S: Tyrann Mathieu S: Marcus Maye
The fact that the Saints were able to completely overhaul their safety room for the next three seasons by getting Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye for less per year combined than Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jamal Adams make individually was one of the biggest free agency wins of the offseason. Even with losing Malcolm Jenkins and Marcus Williams, there’s reason to believe New Orleans upgraded at safety.
8. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CB: J.C. Jackson CB: Asante Samuel Jr. NCB: Bryce Callahan S: Derwin James Jr. S: Nasir Adderley
There are few units in the NFL that figure to be more improved than the Chargers' secondary in 2022. After earning the 21st-ranked coverage grade as a team last year, they added one of the league’s best outside corners in J.C. Jackson and one of the league’s best slot corners in Bryce Callahan. Combine that with likely improved play from top-50 pick Asante Samuel Jr. in Year 2, and that’s a Tier 1 unit.
TIER 2: MINOR QUESTION MARKS 9. LOS ANGELES RAMS CB: Jalen Ramsey CB: David Long Jr. NCB: Troy Hill S: Jordan Fuller S: Taylor Rapp
This ranking would look a lot different without Jalen Ramsey factoring in. The Rams' secondary would be closer to Tier 5 than Tier 2 without him. That’s just how valuable elite cornerbacks are. Ramsey has averaged only 477 yards allowed per season in a Rams uniform despite routinely shadowing top receivers.
10. CINCINNATI BENGALS CB: Chidobe Awuzie CB: Eli Apple NCB: Mike Hilton S: Jessie Bates III S: Vonn Bell
The Bengals have built their secondary exactly how we would at PFF: by giving themselves a ton of flexible options. The starters listed above don’t even factor in the team's first- and second-rounders from this past draft. Adding two more versatile pieces in Daxton Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt makes this one of the deepest secondaries in the NFL.
11. TENNESSEE TITANS CB: Kristian Fulton CB: Caleb Farley NCB: Elijah Molden S: Kevin Byard S: Amani Hooker
The Titans' entire cornerback starting cornerback trio was drafted this decade, which is always a bit of a scary proposition. But given what we’ve seen already from Kristian Fulton and Elijah Molden early on in their NFL careers, it falls closer to exciting than scary for Tennessee fans. The only real question mark is 2021 first-round pick Caleb Farley, who tore his ACL only 60 snaps into his rookie year.
12. DENVER BRONCOS CB: Patrick Surtain II CB: Ronald Darby NCB: K’Waun Williams S: Justin Simmons S: Kareem Jackson
After seeing cornerbacks under siege all throughout the 2021 season, then-rookie Patrick Surtain II was a breath of fresh air. He entered the NFL with almost no learning curve and didn't allow more than 76 yards in any single game last season en route to becoming the anchor of this unit.
13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES CB: Darius Slay CB: James Bradberry NCB: Avonte Maddox S: Anthony Harris S: Jaquiski Tartt
If you’re going to be strong anywhere in the secondary, having two potential shut-down cornerbacks on the outside trumps all. Over the past two seasons, James Bradberry ranks first in the NFL in forced incompletions, while Darius Slay ranks sixth in coverage grade.
14. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS CB: L’Jarius Sneed CB: Rashad Fenton NCB: Trent McDuffie S: Juan Thornhill S: Justin Reid
While he’s been overshadowed by bigger names on the Chiefs' roster, L’Jarius Sneed deserves some credit for his play since entering the NFL He’s had arguably the best start to his career of any cornerback from the 2020 draft class. While being asked to move between outside and slot cornerback, depending on where he’s needed, he’s been excellent through two seasons. He made the second-most defensive stops of any cornerback in the league last year.
TIER 3: ASCENDING UNITS 15. CAROLINA PANTHERS CB: Donte Jackson CB: Jaycee Horn NCB: C.J. Henderson S: Jeremy Chinn S: Xavier Woods
Trying to rank this Panthers secondary prior to the 2022 season is somewhat of a fool’s errand. You won’t find any other units in the league that feature two cornerbacks drafted in the top 10 within the past three years. Jaycee Horn is likely the guy who could push this unit up from Tier 3 to Tier 2 if he comes back healthy from a broken foot. In three starts last year, he allowed only one catch on five targets for eight yards.
16. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS CB: Charvarius Ward CB: Emmanuel Moseley NCB: Jason Verrett S: Jimmie Ward S: Talanoa Hufanga
While this is only a ranking of secondaries, it should be noted that the 49ers' pass defense as a whole should be expected to outperform this ranking thanks to Fred Warner and the NFL's best group of cover linebackers. The X-factor here once again is Jason Verrett’s health. In the two seasons he was able to play 500-plus snaps in his NFL career, he earned coverage grades of 90.9 (2015) and 76.1 (2020).
17. NEW YORK JETS CB: Ahmad Gardner CB: Bryce Hall NCB: D.J. Reed Jr. S: Jordan Whitehead S: Ashtyn Davis
On paper, general manager Joe Douglas has done an excellent job of rebuilding what was a bottom-tier unit as recently as heading into last season. Now with three new starters penciled in, the Jets figure to be jumping up a few rungs. The most underrated addition here is definitely D.J. Reed Jr., who put together a breakout 2021 season. He allowed only 383 yards in his first full year as a starter for the Seahawks.
18. MINNESOTA VIKINGS CB: Patrick Peterson CB: Cameron Dantzler NCB: Andrew Booth Jr. S: Harrison Smith S: Lewis Cine
The Vikings have quite a dichotomous mix of veteran talent with rookie top-50 picks. The biggest worry, though, is that age. Once considered elite players at their respective positions, can 33-year-old Harrison Smith and 32-year-old Patrick Peterson still be relied upon?
19. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS CB: Tyson Campbell CB: Shaquill Griffin NCB: Darious Williams S: Rayshawn Jenkins S: Andre Cisco
The Jaguars have earned bottom-six coverage grades in each of the past three seasons, but that should change in 2022. The biggest reasons are second-year breakout candidates Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco. From Week 9 on last year, Campbell tallied two picks and six forced incompletions, while Cisco allowed only 41 yards on 114 coverage snaps.
20. NEW YORK GIANTS CB: Adoree’ Jackson CB: Aaron Robinson NCB: Darnay Holmes S: Julian Love S: Xavier McKinney
The Giants have invested plenty of resources into their secondary on Days 2 and 3 of the draft in recent years, and it shows in their depth. This ranking could look a lot different at the year’s end if Xavier McKinney takes a similar leap forward in 2022 as he did in 2021. He went from a 69.2 coverage grade on limited snaps as a rookie to a 78.4 coverage grade last season. Bet on him becoming a top-10 safety sooner rather than later.
21. DALLAS COWBOYS CB: Trevon Diggs CB: Kelvin Joseph NCB: Jourdan Lewis S: Jayron Kearse S: Malik Hooker
It flew under the radar because it was on such limited snaps, but 2021 second-round pick Kelvin Joseph very much looked like he belonged when called upon down the stretch last season. On 97 coverage snaps across six games, Joseph allowed only seven catches on 15 targets for 49 yards with two pass breakups. If he shows up as the same player in 2022, this ranking is far too low.
TIER 4: SERIOUS FLAWS 22. ATLANTA FALCONS CB: A.J. Terrell CB: Casey Hayward Jr. NCB: Isaiah Oliver S: Jaylinn Hawkins S: Erik Harris
No cornerback duo heading into 2022 gave up fewer yards last season than Casey Hayward and A.J. Terrell, who combined to allow only 588 yards. While it’s not quite that simple, with Hayward playing in Las Vegas in 2021, that’s a good starting point for a defense. The problem is, that’s also where it ends in terms of reasons to get excited about this unit.
23. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CB: Stephon Gilmore CB: Isaiah Rodgers NCB: Kenny Moore II S: Rodney McLeod S: Julian Blackmon
Before the Stephon Gilmore signing, this unit was trending toward uncertainty. Gilmore was still very much an elite cornerback when healthy last season, although it wasn’t widely talked about because he was doing it on a hapless Panthers team. He finished with the ninth-highest coverage grade in the NFL.
24. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS CB: Kendall Fuller CB: William Jackson III NCB: Benjamin St. Juste S: Kamren Curl S: Bobby McCain
After an exceedingly slow start to the 2021 season, the Commanders' secondary looked much improved down the stretch. A big part of that was William Jackson III finally performing like the player he was in Cincinnati. From Week 10 on, Jackson allowed only 105 yards on 217 coverage snaps.
25. DETROIT LIONS CB: Jeff Okudah CB: Amani Oruwariye NCB: Mike Hughes S: DeShon Elliott S: Tracy Walker
A good deal of this ranking hinges on Jeff Okudah looking more like the player who ranked fourth on PFF’s draft board back in 2020 and less like the one who’s allowed a career 121.8 passer rating into his coverage. The good news is that he’s still young, having turned 23 earlier this year.
26. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CB: Malcolm Butler CB: Jalen Mills NCB: Kyle Dugger S: Adrian Phillips S: Devin McCourty
New England's safety room and cornerback room are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The team added Jabrill Peppers this offseason to what was already one of the deepest safety groups in the league. But now without J.C. Jackson, the Patriots lose over one-third of their interceptions from a season ago.
27. ARIZONA CARDINALS CB: Byron Murphy Jr. CB: Marco Wilson NCB: Antonio Hamilton S: Budda Baker S: Jalen Thompson
The Cardinals finished 24th in team coverage grade last year, and for some reason, this unit went all but ignored over the course of the offseason. It wasn’t until they drafted cornerback Christian Matthew in the seventh round out of Valdosta State that they addressed this unit.
The Steelers' secondary is one of the most veteran-laden groups in the NFL, with every player heading into their fifth season or later. That simultaneously gives the unit a high floor because of what we’ve seen the players do and a low ceiling because of, well, what we’ve seen the players do. There’s just not an impact player in this secondary after Minkah Fitzpatrick.
29. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS CB: Trayvon Mullen Jr. CB: Rock Ya-Sin NCB: Nate Hobbs S: Johnathan Abram S: Trevon Moehrig
While the Raiders' defense took a healthy step forward in 2021, the worrisome thing is that the man who was most responsible for that isn’t walking through the door anymore. Casey Hayward Jr. allowed only 388 yards in 17 games last season. Trayvon Mullen Jr. has allowed more than that (401) in his past nine.
TIER 5: TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY 30. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS CB: Tre Brown CB: Sidney Jones IV NCB: Justin Coleman S: Jamal Adams S: Quandre Diggs
This is quite easily the scariest-looking cornerback group on paper in the NFL. And not for opposing offenses. If there is any silver lining, it’s that 2021 fourth-rounder Tre Brown outperformed expectations, albeit in limited playing time. On 162 coverage snaps as a rookie, he allowed only eight catches on 17 targets for 75 yards while playing exclusively on the outside.
31. CHICAGO BEARS CB: Jaylon Johnson CB: Kyler Gordon NCB: Thomas Graham Jr. S: Eddie Jackson S: Jaquan Brisker
It's worrisome that this Bears secondary lacks a single player who they can point to and say for certain he’ll be reliable. Eddie Jackson is supposed to be that guy — and is being paid as such — but even he has earned coverage grades of 56.9 and 55.8 the past two seasons.
32. HOUSTON TEXANS CB: Derek Stingley Jr. CB: Steven Nelson NCB: Desmond King II S: Eric Murray S: Jalen Pitre
Two rookies and three journeymen. It’s nowhere near a hopeless situation for the Texans' secondary, though. And truthfully, this is still a massive upgrade from what they’ve had the past couple seasons. A lot of their success hinges on one of the draft’s most hotly debated players in Derek Stingley Jr. He was the second-ranked player on PFF’s draft board, but many viewed him as a risky pick.
Quincy is having some fun here but he makes some points.
I have not seen enough of Brissett to even try to evaluate what he can do with this team.
On the other side of the ball. I believe we have a ascending defense. In one of his videos Quincy was all over how good the Browns defense can be.
Our secondary plays a huge role. Quincy on a Q&A said JOK can become a whole new thing in the NFL. Something I have believed since I first saw him play.
Myles of course is in rare air. The interior DL IMO will shake out with competition and be good enough as they develop.
If Brissett plays solid mistake free, competent football at the qb position. And, it ends up with Brissett as the qb this whole season. We can win games. In fact I would not rule out a playoff birth.
I have gone into seasons knowing would be lucky to win a game. So, I look forward to the season this year no matter what happens with DW.
There are a bunch of guys on the Browns I love watching play.
If Brissett plays solid mistake free, competent football at the qb position. And, it ends up with Brissett as the qb this whole season. We can win games. In fact I would not rule out a playoff birth.
Uh, wouldn't that be true of ANY qb? If Brissett was good enough to have done that elsewhere, wouldn't he have been unavailable?
OK... I am 9 seconds in and put this on pause. My top 10 players, 5 on each side of the ball, probably in order of talent in my eyes - excluding Watson as he's a question-mark at this point .... (if he was playing a full season he'd be ln the top 10.)
Chubb. Bitonio. Teller. Cooper. Conklin.
Myles. Ward. JOK. Newsome. JJ III (I think Delphit will be better than him this year).
Now going to watch Quincy.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
That was a very good video. Thanks for posting it.
I predicted Taki at 9 because I thought he would be surprising and also I thought he played pretty good.
Think about that list.
Two guards. One OT. One QB. Two RBs [4 if they would have had the snaps.] One WR.
One Edge. One CB. One LB.
Almost all are young.
If JB can protect the ball and be a leader the Browns might just have a chance to have a good year. Not a Super Bowl year, but a good year. If Watson's suspension is for 4-6 games and JB can hold down the fort, we might be real contenders to win it all!!! Wouldn't that be great after all the negativity that we have endured?
He's more mobile than Baker, but he isn't very mobile. He's good on qb sneaks. He doesn't throw too many picks but does not make many big plays. He was nominated by the Colts as their Walter Payton Man of the Year award nominee.
If I may...........I believe Quincy was suggesting that JB might be good enough considering what is around him. Excellent OL. One pretty good WR. Multiple great backs. Stefanski did a lot to mask Baker's flaws in year one. He should be able to scheme well enough to play to the team's strengths and not ask JB to do too much.
Neither guy is going to carry a team. Neither is good enough to elevate others. Both are dependent upon scheme hiding their flaws. Both need a ton of talent around them.
They differ in that Baker has a better arm in my opinion. He's more of a gun-slinger. He can make bigger plays. He is more flashy. On the other hand, I don't think JB will lose games the way Baker did. I think he is far more mature. I think he will be better in the locker room and not say dumb crap in the media.
I don't know how much opportunity JB has had. But I do know he's never had a stretch of 9 games rated by PFF as the 5th best QB in the NFL. He's never thrown 21 straight completitions. He didn't join a 1-31 team and start them winning. Baker's got lots of areas that need improving - but I think rating JB and Baker as equivalent is a stretch. jmo
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
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