Greg Newsome

Newsome shifted to slot corner in his second season and performed better, per Pro Football Focus, despite not liking the new role. Both he and Denzel Ward played the slot during camp, so there should be some movement among Newsome, Ward and Martin Emerson in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme. That trio is a strong coverage unit and perhaps make up the best level of the defense.

Newsome earned a starting job at cornerback as a rookie, beating out Greedy Williams in the pre-season. The 22-year-old finished with 37 tackles and nine passes defensed over 12 games. He played primarily on the outside opposite Denzel Ward but is expected to see more time in the slot in 2022. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is confident the 2021 first-round pick can handle the role.

One area of the team's defense that needed shoring up is coverage, so the Browns added one of the top cover corners in this year's draft class, taking Newsome 26th overall. The Northwestern product allowed just 12 receptions in 34 targets in 2020 and one touchdown since 2019. First-round cornerbacks usually become starters, but he'll have to earn that role, with 2019 second-rounder Greedy Williams, who's coming off a shoulder injury and didn't play in 2020, also in the mix. The duo will battle to play opposite the elite Denzel Ward, although all three should play their share of snaps.