LaMareon James is an intriguing option. An undrafted rookie free agent, he has excellent strength for the position and isn't afraid to throw his body around. He's trying to make the transition from outside corner in college. He's also currently on the practice squad, so that is likely not in the immediate plans for the team.
The Browns also claimed Jarrick Bernard-Converse on waivers from the New York Jets. He has the athletic makeup to be a man cover corner, but his experience is almost exclusively on the outside. He might be deployed if the Browns like a matchup that then puts Newsome back in the slot.
Regardless of the path the Browns choose, there's uncertainty. However, save for Denzel Ward, the success of the Browns corner play has been tied almost directly to the effectiveness of their pass rush.
In 2023, the Browns had a historic defense. Their pass rush was consistently problematic. 2024, the pressure rate was high, but Myles Garrett was often the only reliable form of pressure. That was also true in 2022 and 2021.
On defense, the main focus of this past offseason was changing the defensive line, the pass rush overall, to better match the vision of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Dalvin Tomlinson, an effective run-stopping defensive tackle who occasionally impacted the quarterback, was released. The team had to replace Za'Darius Smith, who was traded the previous season.