John Johnson III says Grant Delpit is "one of the best" and is "the glue" of safety room

John Johnson III sees a little bit of everything in Grant Delpit, which is why he believes he’s positioned for a breakout season in 2022. Johnson, a sixth-year veteran safety entering his second year with the Browns, thinks Delpit’s versatility as a safety who can play at all levels of the defense will help the secondary be one of the best in the league. The group certainly showed flashes of that potential toward the end of last season, when the entire defense clicked and held opponents to an average of 18.5 points in the final seven games. Delpit played well in that stretch, registering 31 tackles in the last four games. He proved he could handle assignments as a deep safety or closer to the line of scrimmage — the kind of versatility the Browns coveted when they drafted him in the second round in 2020. “He’s one of the best, period,” Johnson said Thursday before the second practice of training camp. “He’s like a mixture of myself or Ronnie (Harrison Jr.). I feel like he could pretty much do everything. He can take the ball away. He’s explosive. He’s a good leader.”Delpit snagged one interception and three pass breakups in 15 games with seven starts last year. He was one of the standout players of offseason workouts and knocked down multiple passes across OTAs and minicamp. Now, he’s set to be one of the top players of the Browns’ secondary. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods loves using three-safety sets, and Delpit will be a prime piece of those plans because of his ability to play anywhere. The three-safety sets allow the defense to disguise coverages and be flexible in assignments, and now that the group has a full year of experience and chemistry, Johnson is confident they’re in for a big season. “I think we can do pretty much anything,” Johnson said. “Our safeties don’t really get mixed in that top tier of safeties, so I think this is an opportunity for us to know each other, feed off each other … and be the best trio in the league.” A breakout year from Delpit could certainly help them attain that level, and Johnson is confident such a season is ahead for the 23-year-old. “He does everything right,” Johnson said. “I think he’s the glue to the safety room and the (defensive backs).”

Training Camp

John Johnson III says Grant Delpit is "one of the best" and is "the glue" of safety room

Johnson thinks Delpit’s versatility will lift the entire secondary