5 reasons Browns fans can bet on a turnaround in 2020

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the Cleveland Browns during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 08: Cornerback Denzel Ward #21 of the Cleveland Browns guards wide receiver Alex Erickson #12 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Bengals 27-19. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

3. The corners can be elite

The defensive line isn’t the only part of the defense where the Browns have spent significant resources. The franchise deserves credit for spending two high draft picks on their current starters at corner back.

Denzel Ward is the clear No. 1 option for the team’s secondary. He’s got elite speed for the position and enough size and grit to battle with any wide receiver in the NFL. He may not be a shut down corner in the strictest sense of the term, but there aren’t very many of those (if any) in the modern game.

Greedy Williams is a really intriguing piece on the other side of the formation. His draft stock slipped from sure-fire top 10 pick all the way into the second round due to concerns about his tackling. All of those scouts ignored the fact that the best corners in the NFL spend much more time covering wide receivers than they do tackling.

Williams isn’t a polished product yet, but his athletic traits are outstanding. His combination of exceptional size, length and speed for the position give him a chance to be even better than Ward in time.

Even if he doesn’t maximize his potential he still projects as one of the best No. 2 corners in the league. The Browns secondary has the makings of a problem for opposing offensive coordinators.

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