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The Cleveland Browns bulked up their depth in the secondary on Saturday, claiming former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback MJ Stewart off waivers.
Stewart was a second-round pick in 2018 and appearing in 11 games and starting five with the Bucs as a rookie. However, he didn’t find much traction in his second second, falling back on the depth chart and starting just one game. Stewart is a willing tackler for a corner, with 68 to his name since he came into the league. Of those tackles, 59 were solo.
Greedy Williams and Denzel Ward have the starting spots locked up at corner for the Browns, so the signing of Stewart is likely just for depth. There’s upside to the signing if Stewart can perform like that player the Bucs thought they were getting in the second round. At minimum, Stewart could be a strong special teams player if he makes the roster.
Browns Activate Trio From PUP List, Headlined by Jarvis Landry
The Browns activated a trio of players from the PUP list as well on Saturday. The group included wide receiver Jarvis Landry, safety Karl Joseph and tight end Pharaoh Brown.
Landry is coming off of surgery this offseason, but will be looking to return with the stellar form he showed a season ago. He caught 83 passes last season for a career-best 1,174 yards and six touchdowns, making the Pro Bowl. Landry has a shot to keep his streak of 96 games without sitting out alive.
“Obviously that’s one of the biggest things for me, that’s one of the goals that I would set out for myself since I was a kid watching Monday Night Football,” Landry said, per cleveland.com. “And it’s still something that’s in the back of mind. Obviously I want to make sure that I’m going through this process the right way, too, and making sure that I’m healthy enough to be able to go out there and help the team win games and not hurt the team. Yeah, that is in my mind, but I’m really focused on this rehab to make sure that I can be ready for the season.”
Joseph was signed this offseason after starting his career with the Raiders. He had started at least eight games every season while with the Raiders, including nine his rookie year. Last season, Joseph had started all nine games before a foot injury ended his season. In 41 career starts, Joseph has 236 total tackles, four interceptions and 15 passes defended. His coverage skills could use work, but Joseph is a solid in the box safety that isn’t scared to make a tackle.
Brown will have to work for playing time at the tight end position. He has been with the team since 2018. He appeared in nine games with six starts in 2019, catching two passes for 27 yards.
Browns Need Depth on Offensive Line
While it’s nice to have another corner who can compete, the Browns will have to look at their options on the offensive line, particularly at guard. Drew Forbes, Colby Gossett and Malcolm Pridgeon were all guards who opted out for the season recently.
“That is what Andrew (Berry) and his staff are working on every day. I think they walk in the building and say, ‘Look at the roster. How do we improve it?’ I know with the opt-outs at that position, it is certainly something that we will continue to look at. As it pertains to practice reps, you have to get your starters ready,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “You also have to get your backups ready this year. We have to be very mindful of how we divvy up those reps. I have sat down with the coaches already and we have a plan for that, but I don’t think it is a season where you just say, ‘Hey, I’m just getting my starters ready.’ I think that may not be smart.”
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