The Cleveland Browns have always been stout at defensive back. GM Andrew Berry is a former college cornerback, so the DB room is his pet. Except for last year, Berry has selected a corner or a safety in every draft he has orchestrated since 2020.
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It’s his baby.
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The Browns’ defense this past season ranked #4. Their passing “D” had a #3 ranking. Berry will do whatever it takes to keep these ratings elite and in the Top-5.
CB Denzel Ward is currently his crown jewel with his five Pro Bowls, including the last three consecutive years. Last year, Berry traded former first-round CB Greg Newsome to the Jacksonville Jaguars for CB Tyson Campbell. Newsome ended up on a great team and earned a playoff check, but Campbell is a keeper and a solid player.
M.J. Emerson, a key draft selection that Berry found in Round 3 back in the 2022 NFL draft, was ready to prove he is one of the league’s best after a strong off-season conditioning program, but suffered an Achilles tear in training camp and was lost for the season. It was Emerson’s contract year.
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Now, free agency is upon the franchise. Defensive backs on the list are S Rayshawn Jenkins, CB Tre Avery, CB Sam Webb, S Ronnie Hickman, CB D’Angelo Ross, CB Anthony Kendall, and Emerson. Webb and Hickman are restricted free agents, while Kendall is an exclusive-rights free agent.
On the surface, it would have been prudent of Berry to ink both Hickman and Emerson to contract extensions, but so far, there hasn’t been any movement on either player. Currently, the defensive backs under contract are S Grant Delpit, CB Myles Harden, CB Dom Jones, S Donovan McMillon, S Chris Edmonds, Ward, and Campbell.
What made Jim Schwartz’s defense work so well was the fact that the cornerbacks all played man, which freed up the safeties to support the run. Which means three really good cornerbacks are needed. Ward and Campbell make two, and if Emerson returns, they would solidify this grouping. But what if Emerson doesn’t end up back in camp?
Cleveland will need to sign a seasoned veteran to fill the open cornerback spot. Make no mistake, another capable body must become a roster addition this offseason.
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The 2026 NFL free agency period begins March 9-11. Here is a possibility for the Browns.
CB Jamel Dean
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6’-1”, 206 pounds
Age: 29
PFF ranking: 84.9
NFL draft: 2019 Round 3, pick #94 (Buccaneers)
Accolades: Super Bowl Champion (2020)
40 time: 4.3
2025 season: 14 starts, 46 tackles, 2 QB hits, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, 9 batted passes, 2 pressures, 0 hurries, 1 knockdown, 1 tackle for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 missed tackle, 29 receptions allowed, 660 snaps (75%)
Dean is a sensational defender and ranked as the #5 best free agent on the market and the best cornerback. To get him, Berry will need to spend quite a bit. So, there’s that.
He ranked #4 among all cornerbacks last year and allowed just a 46.9 passer rating on passes thrown in his direction. That was the best mark in the league. And he is a seven-year player, so he has the experience the Browns need to continue the dominance in pass defense.
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Has played in 96 NFL games and 4,717 snaps. But he has had his share of injuries, including a hip flexor strain and a shoulder issue last year and a hamstring injury in 2024. So, here’s that other part.
Yes, he is projected to become the top-paid corner in this year’s free agency period. Is he worth it?
This past season, he established himself as a shutdown corner, which is what Cleveland is looking for. His pass completion ratio was just 43.1%, and he did not allow a single touchdown. He is also effective in press and has elite speed (4.3) that allows him to recover well. Very good run support with only one missed tackle all season.
Dean allowed just 4.6 yards per target and only allowed one pass greater than 20+ yards. He was lapping the field in coverage DVOA, with -69.1% DVOA. He had two other interceptions that did not count.
He brings experience, length, and discipline to the Browns’ backfield and won’t get burned.
Projection: Three years, $55 million
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