Written by Dave Kolonich

---

Throughout the As It Stands Again series, we’ve uncovered both some genuine reasons for 2010 optimism - along with some rather inconvenient truths.  In many ways, the Browns as a whole have improved to the point of featuring some impressive depth at some select spots of the roster.

At others – let’s just hope a contingency plan is in place.

Speaking of which, how about those cornerbacks?  

Although I’ve run the phrase “boom or bust” deep into the ground over the past couple weeks – kind of like an upstart ESPN face assigned to a “Tale of Two Cities” feature on our Cleveland – I have to once again pull out the big guns when talking about the potential of our corners.

Or, maybe just grab some leftover fireworks.

Sheldon Brown

Some weeks ago I threw out the possibility that Jake Delhomme was already the best Browns’ quarterback of the expansion era – despite not having thrown a pass in Cleveland. 

While that post was more a reflection of the constant turnover and turmoil found at QB over the past decade, a part of me is wondering the exact same thing with Sheldon Brown at cornerback.

After all, Brown’s main competition would consist of Daylon McCutcheon’s durability combined with a flash of Anthony Henry. 

Now that I think about it….

Of course, while Brown is easily the team’s most polished cornerback heading into 2010, such comparisons are based on a time that occurred long before Cleveland.  Much like any credit given to Delhomme is based on his past, it’s likely that Brown’s best playing days are far behind him.

But still…

Anyway – assuming he doesn’t run headfirst into a veteran wall that can easily claim the best of older corners, Brown should instantly upgrade the team’s collection of cornerbacks.

The book on Brown is that he – unlike every other defensive back on the Browns’ 2009 roster – is a physical player and solid tackler.  While he does not feature overwhelming physical size, Brown plays with great toughness.  He can be a big hitter at times and is obviously the veteran influence this position has lacked for years.

In terms of coverage, the Browns may have found either a decent outside corner or an ideal slot option.  Granted, Brown has slowed down in recent years and has been known to get beaten deep.  However, if surrounded by some worthy corner partners – Brown could be prove to be an instant upgrade at a position that is now stocked with some intriguing possibilities.

Of course, the downside at cornerback in 2010 is the symbiotic nature of each player – based on an odd variety of individual weaknesses.

Speaking of which…

Eric Wright

For Brown to florish in Cleveland, Wright will need to continue his sporadic production.

Of course, here’s the problem – of all the players on the team’s roster headed into 2010, it is probably Wright who could most benefit from some added help around him.

Like Brown, Wright has his own problems.  Simply put, he is talented, but is not an ideal Number One corner.  The past two years of Browns’ football has clearly shown this.

While Wright has good corner instincts and has flashed some tremendous play-making skills at times, he is simply overmatched when taking on an opponent’s best receiver….or when trying to tackle virtually anyone in the open field.

Brown’s arrival in Cleveland will mean that Wright will have some pressure taken off him, but the extent of this is unknown.  As I stated above, Brown can be as much of a liability in coverage as Wright has proven to be over the past couple years.

Which means….

Joe Haden

Despite the promise of improvement in 2010, the cornerback position will probably only go as far as Joe Haden takes it. 

No pressure there.

To continue this most odd relationship, Haden could prove to be the answer in 2010 – if only as yet another pressure valve for Wright. 

In many ways, Haden features equal parts Brown and Wright…only far more explosive.  Although Haden is a bit undersized, he proved to be a willing tackler and physical presence in college.  He easily becomes the team’s most athletic, agile and instinctive secondary player.

Of course, he’s also a rookie.  Very few rookie corners make an immediate, successful transition into the league.  An even more unlikely scenario sees a corner do this, along with becoming the focal point of his team’s secondary. 

And in the most unlikely of all scenarios is the idea that a Number Seven overall draft pick actually arrives to training camp on time.  Thank you very much, Al Davis.

Coye Francies

Of course, this means that I haven’t forgotten about you, Coye Francies….despite the inconvenient fact that Eric Mangini probably has. 

I’m not sure what exactly Francies did last season to gain Mangini’s scorn, but sitting behind Hank Poteat was a most cruel and unusual punishment….one usually reserved for the lowest of criminal elements in society.

After thinking about this for far too long, I have come to the conclusion that either Francies’ locker room ice-throwing episode was more detrimental to the team’s focus than previously realized, or that the then-rookie corner was as raw as initially advertised.

Let’s hope the ice cubes were the bigger factor.

Coming into the league, the book on Francies was that he was very fast, very thin and kind of fiesty.  In 2009, we were shown at least one of those traits.

Entering 2010, let’s hope that Francies looks a bit more developed.  And that the locker room attendents keep the ice away from him.

Because otherwise…

Brandon McDonald

Like that stain on your couch….and so it goes.

I’m not sure we give McDonald enough credit here in Cleveland.  In so many ways, his play over the past two seasons has completely dictated the team’s offseason direction in 2010.  Is it a coincidence that McDonald was continually run over by opposing players – followed by the Browns adding a host of secondary help whose best talents are basic tackling skills?

I’m just saying…

Anyway, it wasn’t always like this with McDonald.  Although it seems like decades ago, McDonald was an intriguing player in 2007.  Playing exclusively as a nickel and dime back, McDonald made some plays and looked like a rare Phil Savage draft gem. 

However, once McDonald’s duties increased, he basically fell off the map.

Like Francies, McDonald is tiny and cannot match up with even average sized wideouts.  While still decent in coverage, McDonald became the team’s biggest defensive liability, solely based on his horrid tackling.

While it’s possible that with some added talent around him, McDonald could return to his 2007 roots – just the mere fact that he is the sole reason for Sheldon Brown’s arrival should speak volumes about his future potential in Cleveland.

Gerard Lawson

Lawson is coming close to entering the esteemed halls of the D.D. Hoggard Last Man on the Roster Memorial Hall of Fame.  Like my eternally beloved Hoggard, Lawson has constantly flirted with the fringes of the Browns’ roster. 

In a case of pure bad timing, Lawson could easily make the team thanks to his special teams play, mainly as a kick returner.  However, being that we already feature a future Hall of Famer in this same position, Lawson will again struggle to make the final roster.

John Bowie

Here’s a fun fact about Bowie – he was traded along with a fourth-round pick for Randy Moss a few seasons ago.  Well, maybe not fun for him.

Anyway, he has decent size and is fast.  If anything, Bowie has a brief history with Browns’ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.  This could be worth something.

Chris Roberson

I don’t think anyone has any history with Roberson.  However, camp is drawing near and it will be worth taking a look at him.

Ideally

Despite the concerns I laid out above, the cornerback position has improved. 

Ideally, Haden emerges sometime during his rookie season – again, assuming he gets to training camp before September.  Haden’s arrival will no doubt lessen Wright’s load, which could finally give him the comfort needed to harness his playmaking abilities.  Brown shores up the team’s weak run defense and eventually shifts to more of a nickel role as Haden develops.  In a best-case scenario, either Francies emerges as a legitimate fourth option, or McDonald reverts back to his rookie form.

But Really

While there is some relevant hope to be found at cornerback in 2010, the prospects for disaster are compelling.  Haden could be one of the league’s longer rookie holdouts, while Brown could become a more physical version of McDonald – meaning that we’ll just have a bigger player getting burned downfield.  All of the above suggests that Wright will again be forced into a role that he is not equipped to play.  And then in the most disturbing of all scenarios, McDonald makes a late season start.

The Pick

Enough of the doom and gloom scenarios. 

Instead of focusing on the coverage aspect of the secondary, let’s take this for what it is.  The Browns made a conscious decision to upgrade both the corner and safety spots for 2010 and beyond.  The focus was simple – to help improve a secondary that couldn’t tackle, the Browns brought in a tremendous athlete in Haden and a physical veteran with Brown. 

While Haden’s transition into the league will likely be slowed due to stalled contract talks, Brown offers the kind of veteran leadership and competent play that should help the overall cornerback position improve.  With some added help around him, Wright could finally prove to be the playmaker the secondary has lacked for years. 

Make no mistake….Change has arrived at cornerback - and hopefully, progress follows.

And we all have Brandon McDonald to thank for it.

***

This is Part Ten of a near endless series of 2010 Browns’ position previews.

Check out Part One – Quarterbacks here, Part Two – Running Backs – here, Part Three – Wide Receivers here, Part Four – Tight Ends here, Part Five – Offensive Line here, Part Six – Special Teams here, Part Seven – Defensive Line here, Part Eight – Inside Linebackers here and Part Nine – Outside Linebackers here.