In some ways, the Cleveland Browns' cornerback room is a microcosm of where the franchise is as a whole. There are some notable veteran players, notably Denzel Ward, who will help keep the team competitive in 2025. But the spotlight is on a handful of young players who need to establish whether or not they're part of the team's future plans.
Training camp will start to provide some of those answers. Here's where things stand at cornerback.
Projected Depth Chart
Denzel Ward / Martin Emerson Jr. / Greg Newsome II
Cameron Mitchell / Tony Brown II / Myles Harden
Chigozie Anusiem / Anthony Kendall / Nik Needham
Dom Jones / LaMareon James
What To Know
Fresh off what was arguably the best season of his career, Ward remains one of the best corners in the game heading into camp. 2025 is about whether or not other members of the secondary will help lift him up.
That starts with the guy lining up on the opposite side of the field from him, Martin Emerson Jr. The 2022 third-round pick has delivered one impressive season in 2023 and one disappointing season in 2024.
If the truth of who Emerson is lies somewhere in the middle, he can certainly be part of the team's future plans and could earn a second contract. However, if last year's regression was the start of a downward trend, he may not find himself testing free agency next spring. No one needs a bounce-back season on defense for this team more than Emerson.
Nickel cornerback Greg Newsome II faces a similar situation. After back-to-back offseasons with his name floated in plenty of trade rumors, suddenly the 2021 first-round pick is entering his fifth-year option season.
Right now, it seems unl ikely that he's back with the Browns in 2026, especially considering his role as a nickel corner. Letting Newsome walk would be made easier if 2023 fifth-round pick (and fellow Northwestern product) Cameron Mitchell shows signs of development. 2024 seventh-rounder Myles Harden could help those efforts as well.
After that a handful of largely unproven names will jockey for roster spots, including Tony Brown II, Chigozie Anusiem, Anthony Kendall, Nik Needham and undrafted rookies Dom Jones out of Colorado State and LaMareon James out of TCU.
Time will tell, but with training camp kicking off, the Browns are facing a state of transition in the cornerback room, much like the team is as a whole.
What's the Word?
Denzel Ward on making coming away with more turnovers/interceptions in 2025:
“Yeah, a lot of them were contested, but I feel I'm good enough where I could come and take those balls away, but just find a way to get two hands on the ball and finish the play. I said got a lot of hands on the ball, but just I got to finish. That's the biggest thing and that's going to be my focus this year and I'm going to take it away. I'm going to get it away this year.”
