Where the Browns stand: Cornerbacks

The Cleveland Browns finished another disappointing and dysfunctional season in 2015, ending the season tied for the worst record in the NFL at 3-13. This past season brought on a lot of change, including a whole new front office led by Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta and a new coaching staff led by head coach Hue Jackson. With the changes, the franchise has brought new hope to its fan base. (…Again.)

Over the course of the last couple weeks, I have been taking a look at what the Browns have going into this important offseason, examining through each position of the team. The next position in the series that we will take a look at is the cornerbacks group.

Where the Browns stand series: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Tight Ends/Fullbacks | Offensive Line | Wide Receivers | Defensive Line | Outside Linebackers | Inside Linebackers | Cornerbacks

Cornerbacks on the Roster

• Joe Haden
• K’Waun Williams
• Tramon Williams
• Charles Gaines
• Justin Gilbert
• Johnson Bademosi
• Pierre Desir
• Ifo Ekpre-Olomu

Recap of 2015 Season

The Browns cornerbacks were a battered and bruised unit that did not meet expectations in 2015. The Browns defense ranked 22^nd in the league in passing yards allowed per game, with 251 yards allowed. Opposing quarterbacks had a combined quarterback rating of 101.8 versus the Browns, third highest in the NFL, and the Browns allowed 34 passing touchdowns, also third most in the league. It was a bad season for the pass defense, A major part of the failure was the underwhelming performance of the cornerbacks.

The Browns supposed No. 1 lockdown corner, Joe Haden, had a bad season, most of which was marred by injuries. In only five games, Haden had 22 tackles, one fumble recovery, and two passes defended. He was beaten quite a bit in limited action and struggled to play consistently. More than anything, injuries colored Haden’s season. He began the year with a hamstring injury that seemed to hurt his performance early on. Later he suffered a broken finger and rib contusion, and his season was ended early when he suffered two concussions. The 2015 season was one to forget for Haden and one that I will look past in terms of his overall play. He was just not healthy enough to be the usual Joe Haden.

Tramon Williams was the Browns’ big pickup last year to replace Buster Skrine as the No. 2 corner, but he was thrust into the No. 1 spot because of Haden’s injuries. In 15 games, Williams had 69 tackles, one interception. and 10 passes defended. Williams was OK, but too much was asked of him at 32 years old. With Haden missing most of the season, Williams was assigned to the opposing team’s top receiver. He was occasionally overmatched and beaten deep; he also struggled to tackle at times. Williams was still OK and should return to form next season because he will be the No. 2 corner when Haden gets healthy. He is still a productive player.

K’Waun Williams was solid once again as the team’s slot cornerback. In 13 games, he had 39 tackles, one sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two passes defended. Williams is very good at covering the shifty slot receivers in the NFL. He is a smaller corner (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) but plays tough and isn’t afraid to make a tackle. Williams’ biggest issue is his injury history, as he missed time for the second straight season. In order to be a reliable, productive player, he needs to stay healthy. When he is playing, Williams is a very good slot cornerback.

Charles Gaines had an up and down rookie season with the Browns. In six games, he had 15 tackles, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. Gaines looked how most rookie corners do: inconsistent. He had games where he seemed like he was beaten on every play and others where he played tight coverage on his man. Overall, I like his future prospects. He has the athleticism to stay with NFL receivers and has a chance to be a contributor next season.

Justin Gilbert has been a huge bust so far, to say the least. In nine games last year, he had only 10 tackles and one pass defended. Gilbert has been a misfit off the field, which has hurt his performance on it. He has the size and athleticism to be a standout corner, but his technique, work ethic, and toughness are not fit for the NFL right now. Gilbert needs to change his career around this offseason or he will be done in the NFL; I am not sure he will.

Pierre Desir had a weird season marked by inconsistent playing time. In 14 games, he had 37 tackles and five passes defended. Desir was inconsistent, like most of the players in this cornerback group, but some of that was due to his irregular playing time. For some reason, Mike Pettine played Johnson Bademosi over Desir in several situations. In no way is Bademosi better than Desir. This offseason will be big for the 25-year-old Desir’s development. If he can continue to improve his technique and overall skill level, he could develop into a starting cornerback for the Browns. He has the work ethic, size (6-2/200), and athleticism to get there.

Aaron Josefczyk/AP Photo

The 2015 season showed that Johnson Bademosi is not suited for cornerback in the NFL and that he should be used purely as a special teams player. In 16 games, he had 27 tackles, one fumble recovery, and two passes defended. Because of injuries and bad coaching decisions, Bademosi saw extended playing time. He struggled to cover NFL receivers and was beaten quite a bit. He should never be relied on to be a cornerback, though he does play well on special teams coverage.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is the biggest wild card of this whole group. The rookie missed the entire season while recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in college. He was regarded as one of the top talents in the 2015 NFL Draft before his injury. We just don’t know if he can regain his form, but the Browns could have a steal on their hands if he does.

The Browns cornerbacks group underperformed in 2015. Injuries to several players, especially Joe Haden, and questionable coaching decisions were some of the bigger reasons the group struggled. Players were thrust into positions that they were not suited for and those who were healthy did not play well overall. They simply gave up too many yards through the air.

That said, I am not that concerned about this group. Yes, they played quite poorly, but there are a lot of outside factors that hurt this group. Injuries, bad coaching decisions, and a lack of a pass rush did not help this unit. I believe when the group is healthy and players are in the right roles, the cornerback group is good one. But expectations are just that: expectations. They must show their talent on the field in 2016.

2015 Season Grade: C-

Offseason To Do List

1. Cut Justin Gilbert

Justin Gilbert has done nothing in the NFL besides make headlines off the field. Less talented players have passed him over on the depth chart. There is no way Johnson Bademosi should get more snaps than Gilbert, but he has by virtue of treating his job like a job. It is time to cut bait. He has not shown any evidence that he can cut it as a professional athlete. The headlines have overshadowed his play and the Browns cannot afford to keep a player who makes bigger headlines off the field. He has had plenty of time to show improvement, but it just has not happened.

2. Give Pierre Desir more playing time

With more consistent playing time, I believe Desir has the talent to be contributing corner on the team next season. Desir has the unique size and athleticism that coaches dream about and the work ethic to be a player in this league. He just needs to see more time in action. Last season was incredibly frustrating to watch, with less talented players seeing more playing time than Desir.

3. Keep Johnson Bademosi on special teams

Johnson Bademosi is a very good special teams player, but he is not an NFL-caliber corner. Last season, because of injuries and bad coaching decisions, the special teamer received quite a bit of time, including over better players like Pierre Desir. That just shouldn’t happen. Bademosi is a valuable player in special teams coverage, but he is just not good enough to play many snaps on defense.