This Week in Tribe Baseball: WFNY Staff Chat
August 11, 20202020 Browns Positional Preview Series: Cornerbacks
August 14, 2020The Cleveland Browns have hit Berea for the beginning of training camp. The 2020 NFL season will be a different experience for players and fans as they navigate through the pandemic. The Browns have had a very eventful offseason with a complete makeover in the front office and coaching staff. Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski are now running the show. So, what are the Browns bringing to the table in 2020?
Well in this series we will be going position by position to preview each of the Browns position units for 2020 season. The first position under the microscope is the Browns safeties unit.
Biggest Strength
Versatile Depth
The Browns safety position has quality depth at safety this season and the depth is filled with versatile players. Karl Joseph is a hard-hitting safety with the versatility to also play in coverage. Grant Delpit was Mr. Do-it-all at LSU, performing numerous roles for the Tigers’ defense. Andrew Sendejo is a free safety, who can also play in the slot. And, Sheldrick Redwine has the athleticism to perform numerous roles for the defense. The Browns will have four safeties who will be utilized across the defense in a variety of roles. Joseph is likely the full-time strong safety for the defense, but the free safety spot is still open for competition. Whoever does win that job, the other two will still likely be consistent contributors on the defense because of their versatility.
Biggest Weakness
Cohesion/Unknowns
The Browns will be relying heavily on three safeties who were not on the team last season. Joseph and Sendejo were veteran signings in free agency, while Delpit was a draft pick from this past draft. Redwine is the only safety who was on the roster last season, but he is just entering his second season in the NFL. So, the Browns lack cohesion given all the new players in the unit. This unit has potential, but the cohesion is not there and there is not a lot of time to get that. The team also has a lot of unknowns. Who will start at free safety? Can Delpit come in immediately start for the team? Can Redwine make a sophomore jump?
Key Player
Grant Delpit
Delpit is the key player for this safety unit. He has the talent to be the best safety on the roster and be a star in the secondary. But, his development could be the key to whether this position struggles or is good. Can he develop quickly enough to start right away at free safety? If he can take the job, the Browns have a defender who can be utilized all over the offense in numerous roles. His versatility is so unique and could be a huge asset for the defense. So, Delpit and his development makes him the key player for the position.
Underrated Player to Watch
Andrew Sendejo
Sendejo was an underrated signing this offseason. He is a veteran presence in a very young secondary and safety unit. He is a valuable defender because of his coverage ability. He has experience covering in the slot, which gives the Browns another defender to utilize in that spot. The Browns also will not have to put all the pressure on Delpit to develop quickly because they have Sendejo to handle free safety if Delpit needs time to learn. He is a nice solid defender in the secondary.
Top Training Camp Battle
Andrew Sendejo vs Grant Delpit at Free Safety
The battle for the starting free safety will likely be determined by how quickly Delpit can develop and learn. Delpit is the more talented player, but Sendejo has a huge leg up in experience. This may be a battle where Sendejo takes the job out of training camp, but by the end of the year, Delpit is the full time starting free safety for the Browns. How quickly Delpit gets comfortable with the position will determine this battle.
Outlook
The Browns safety position is such an interesting unit to watch this year. The range of success is so wide for them. If the young safeties do not develop quickly or well enough, the unit may struggle. But, if the young guys develop and play well, the Browns safety unit may be a quality group.
Joseph should be the leader of this unit. He is the starting strong safety and has the experience and success in the NFL to earn the leadership role on the roster. Joseph can be a player who can set a physical tone for the defense. He should have a good year this season if he can stay healthy. Health has been a problem for him in his career. He has missed at least one game each year of his career. If he can stay healthy, the Browns have a strong force to lead the backend of the defense.
Delpit, as I have pointed out earlier, is the key to this unit. Delpit has the talent to be a versatile weapon for the defense. If he can develop quickly enough and make an immediate impact, this safety unit can be really successful. His ability to fill multiple roles is so unique. If Delpit is not ready right away, the Browns do have veteran Sendejo to be a steady player at free safety. His presence is a nice backstop for the unit, giving the young players someone who can show them the ropes while also playing at a solid level. I think we will see a lot of both Delpit and Sendejo this season because of both their abilities to perform a variety of tasks for a defense.
And, Redwine is the wildcard at the position. He doesn’t seem to have a starting role in his grasps, but he should have an opportunity to get on the field and still contribute to the defense. He showed a lot of nice spurts of good football, but can he show it on a consistent basis and make the jump into his sophomore season? He could be a surprise player who I am underrating in this unit.
Behind those top four safeties, J.T. Hassell is a player who has shown some things in the preseason for the Browns but has yet to make an impact during the regular season. He has a chance of sticking on the roster as a fifth safety given the versatility of the other four players on the roster.
Overall, this unit has a lot of potential, but a lot of things have to come together. Joseph needs to stay healthy. Delpit needs to learn quickly in an abbreviated preseason. Redwine needs to make the jump this season and improve on his deficiencies from last season. That is a lot to get right. So, that is why this position has such a wide range of success this season. They could flounder or succeed. Time will tell. I like the prospects, though. I am bullish on this group.