For an NFL team to truly have success, it needs many more players other than the ones in its starting lineup. The 53-man roster must be put to maximum use, not only to deal with potential injuries but to provide depth and flexibility in each individual game.
The Cleveland Browns have been lacking in that area for quite some time. Most of the difficulty in their roster construction can be blamed on the cost of the Deshaun Watson trade, which left them without premium draft picks or salary cap flexibility for the past few years.
The Browns have shown signs of overcoming those obstacles with very strong rookie classes from the past two NFL Drafts. So much so that they now have a few good players who have to wait to become starters.
With that in mind, insider Aaron Schatz has named rookie second-round safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren as the Browns’ most important non-starter entering this season.
“Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Yes, he is coming from a mid-major program (Toledo), but it was a bit surprising when McNeil-Warren fell to pick No. 58 in the second round. He’s a natural box safety who will need to work on his coverage skills in the NFL, so expect him to play a linebacker-like role in a lot of three-safety sets,” Schatz wrote.
McNeil-Warren was seen as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Browns took advantage of his fall by trading up to select him in the second round. He has shown he may have been worth the gamble with impressive performances at minicamps and OTAs this spring.
Not only does he provide excellent depth behind starters Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, but he could be a unique option in first-time coordinator Mike Rutenberg’s particular coverage schemes. So, McNeil-Warren is likely to get more playing time than a rookie backup normally would.
With Delpit a potential trade deadline target as an upcoming free agent, McNeil-Warren could move into the starting lineup as soon as this season. Until then, he may also prove to be a valuable member of Cleveland’s special teams, a unit that has been lacking in the past in large part because of the absence of quality depth players.
The Browns have stacked their roster with an impressive collection of young talent, which has heightened competition at several other positions, including on the offensive line and at wide receiver.
NEXT: One Analyst Isn't Buying The Browns' O-Line Hype
