Browns secondary returning to health

The Cleveland Browns have received a considerable amount of attention this offseason for their rebuilt secondary.

The club added cornerback Greg Newsome II in the 2021 NFL Draft, and slot cornerback Troy Hill and safety John Johnson III in free agency, but it is a pair of players who were on the team in 2020 but did not play who are also looking to claim a role this fall.

Cornerback Greedy Williams, who missed the season with nerve damage in his shoulder, and safety Grant Delpit, who did not play due to a torn Achilles’ tendon, are both at voluntary Organized Team Activities this week as they work their way back.

Williams met with the media on Wednesday and pronounced himself fully prepared for a comeback, according to a team-provided transcript:

“It is a process. Go out to rehab, trusting my people and trusting the guys here just to keep rehabbing and working up to the part where I trust it again. Just having a strong team behind me, and we are pushing it every day to get better and get back out there.

“My mindset is just to come back and work harder. The way I prepared last year to play the season, I am preparing 10 times better because I sat back a year and had a lot of time to just learn the game and do things I was not able to do during the season. I think I am fully prepared and just ready to get going.”

Williams is still working to strengthen his shoulder and prepare for when the hitting starts in training camp, he said:

“That is what we are working towards. That is the goal. Working towards getting back out there, being 100 percent and being myself again. Right now, I am just going through the strengthening phase, getting the strength back into the shoulder. Whatever they have for me next, that is a question for the medical guys.”

Delpit was not made available to the media, but Johnson said he likes what he has seen so far from the second-year safety, according to a team-provided transcript:

“Grant is coming back. I have heard nothing but great things. He is working hard to get back. He is moving around out there and looks good. Kind of slowly easing him in, but I think we should be full tilt going into training camp. I am looking forward to it.”

The Browns made some significant additions to the defense in the offseason in the hopes that the unit can take some of the pressure off the offense and push the team to its first Super Bowl appearance.

The return of Williams and Delpit to full health should help make that goal a little more closer in reach.