Browns Coach Has High Praise For Underrated CB

The Cleveland Browns have Pro Bowl players at every level of their heralded defense. This season, they have a veteran poised to join those ranks.

With newcomers Jared Verse on the defensive line and Quincy Williams at linebacker, another player about to participate in his first full season with the Browns may finally get noticed. Tyson Campbell, who arrived last season in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, could be in store for a big year.

Browns assistant coach Brandon Lynch has high praise for the underrated cornerback, who has become a very important part of the Cleveland defense.

“It is so much of a blessing to have him here the whole offseason,” Lynch said. “The things that really stand out about [Tyson] is his leadership. His leadership, his effort, his professionalism. He’s a vocal leader. I know that when he got here at the beginning, it’s kind of like he’s feeling his way around he’s really like communicating with the other guys, but now he’s cemented a role. We talk about like leadership being production.”

Lynch, who has been with the Browns since 2020, was promoted to defensive backs coach/pass game specialist this offseason. A Super Bowl winner with the Indianapolis Colts during his playing days, he helped Cleveland rank third in the NFL in pass defense as its cornerbacks coach last season.

A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Campbell arrived in Cleveland as the result of a rare player-for-player NFL trade, including a late-round pick swap, that sent cornerback Greg Newsome II to Jacksonville. In 12 games with the Browns, Campbell had 53 combined tackles and one interception. His 12 passes defended gave him a total of 18 for the season, which was just one short of the league lead.

That top total was held by Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, who earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection and the fifth in his eight-year career. He and Campbell are part of the most veteran starting unit on the Browns’ defense, a secondary that includes safeties Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman.

First-time coordinator Mike Rutenberg may be a perfect fit as he implements a coverage system that is similar to the one used by former coordinator Jim Schwartz. That should give Campbell plenty of opportunities to make plays on one of the league’s elite defenses.

With seven interceptions and 54 passes defended in 72 NFL games, Campbell, at 26 years old, may be entering his prime, which would be a great benefit to the Browns this season.