Browns S Grant Delpit on track to be fully healthy for training camp

Grant Delpit was the 44th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft for the Browns, and the team intended on him being one of their starting safeties. Instead, tore his Achilles’ tendon in late-August 2020, forcing Andrew Sendejo into a starting role for much of the season. Nine months after his injury, Delpit spoke to the media on a conference call Wednesday, saying that he is on track to be fully healthy by the time training camp starts.

“This injury is like nothing I have had before,” said Delpit. “I never thought about my Achilles and what it is used for until I hurt it. It is an eye-opening experience for me. I have done a lot to come back in rehab and just do all of that right now. I am doing sprints, cutting and all of that. Just on the backend of my rehab now and just trying to get rid of that annoying pain. It is coming along, and I should be ready by training camp. It is a crazy injury.”

Delpit said that one of the turning points in his rehab was back in March, when he ran 18 mph on a treadmill and thought, “OK, I am feeling like myself again. Let’s do it.” He is still continuing his rehab and progressing to try to get rid of the “annoying pain” that comes with an injury like this.

The rookie expects to play alongside S John Johnson, the team’s prized free agent addition, in splitting time with S Ronnie Harrison:

“We are installing the whole defense right now – installing everything. All of us playing our own positions, that is a good thing that we can do. Learning from guys like John and (S) Ronnie (Harrison Jr.) and playing alongside of them, it is going to be great. We are all playmakers. We know what John can do and what Ronnie can do, and it is time for me to see what I can do. Hopefully, we all pitch in and do our part to win. That is the plan.”

Cleveland also drafted S Richard LeCounte in the fifth round this year. Back in April, CB Troy Hill had speculated that the team was still weighing their options on bringing Sendejo back (and that’s why he didn’t claim jersey No. 23 right away). But by mid-May, Hill secured No. 23, so it would seem the team has moved on from the veteran safety at this point.