The Cleveland Browns’ offense arguably was the worst in the NFL last season, ranking last at 15.2 points per game with a league-worst turnover differential.
One way for the offense to improve in 2025 is for the defense to take a step forward, and one insider recently highlighted how one defender is set to lead a revamped safety room, which will hopefully serve as a reliable backbone for that side of the ball.
Noah Monroe of Cleveland.com recently gave credit to veteran Grant Delpit for emerging as a leader despite the down season for the organization overall.
“The X-Factor: Delpit. Last season, anytime the opponent had the ball, Delpit was often the one tackling the ball carrier at the end of the play. In part thanks to [safeties coach Ephraim] Banda and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz moving Delpit up into the box, the safety had a career year. With new additions to the safeties, Delpit will become the leader of the unit as well as continue to be one of the leaders on the Browns’ defense,” Monroe wrote.
Delpit posted a career-high 111 combined tackles last season, though it was his first year without an interception.
He also had a career-low with one pass defended as his role evolved into more of a run-stopping thumper, and it will be interesting to see if he retains a similar role or if he gets moved around the field to utilize his playmaking ability for a defense that sorely needs it.
Delpit thrived last season due to his impeccable instincts and big frame for a safety, but this defense needs someone to emerge after generating just four interceptions in 2024.
Ideally, Delpit will be deployed the same way and help free up other members of the secondary to post more takeaways and put the offense in an enviable position much more often than it was last season.
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