Is This the Year Grant Delpit Becomes A Household Name?
Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
They haven’t fully come together, but Cleveland Browns fans know Grant Delpit has all the pieces to become an elite safety. In 2022, Delpit was a terror in the secondary, picking off four passes and breaking up another 10. In 2023, he was a playmaker in opponents’ backfields, registering 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and another seven tackles for loss. The common thread in both years was being a solid tackler, with 60-plus solo stops in each season.
It’s all there. If the fourth-year Delpit can combine these two stellar seasons into one package, he’ll join the list of safeties that is on the tip of every NFL fan’s tongue. The Antoine Winfield Jrs. and Minkah Fitzpatricks of the world.
“I know he’s motivated to be among those groups. I know that’s something we talk about a lot,” says Ephraim Banda, the Browns’ safety coach. This is a subject that’s been on Delpit’s mind since last season, which was cut short by a groin tear in Week 14. In exit meetings, Delpit and Banda discussed how Cleveland can tailor things so that Delpit can be a game-breaker that covers the field.
The thing is, Delpit’s not that far off from where he wants to be. He looked incredible in Weeks 1 and 2 — and against the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, no less. He intercepted a pass, broke up two more, hit Joe Burrow, registered a tackle for loss, and recovered a fumble. That’s the kind of potential Delpit has, and those two performances earned him a 90.0-plus grade from Pro Football Focus in each week. The outlet had him as their 11th-highest-graded safety as of Week 9.
Kevin Stefanski knows what he has in Delpit. “I think everybody saw what Grant was able to do, how he was able to play in our system, the physicality he brings to what we do, [how he] has great ball skills,” the coach said about his toolkit.
So what’s the next step?
With Delpit being healthy and ready to go, some of that next step will include the natural growth that comes from experience, age, and maturity. Banda feels this is the year that Delpit will make an impact as a leader of a defense that was already one of the top units in the NFL last year.
“[I’ve] know the young man since high school, and I’ve seen him mature from that point,” says Banda. “[I] really pushed him to make sure the defense feels his personality. He has one. You know, sometimes he comes across as stoic and quiet, but when you see him… make a play, it comes out.
“My challenge to Grant is to make sure that the defense that’s on the grass feels [his personality] consistently, because that’s leadership, and people respond to it.”
Delpit has also spent the offseason absorbing Jim Schwartz’ defense like never before, learning more about what it takes to succeed in Schwartz’ man coverage scheme, which emphasizes aggression for game-breakers like Delpit. That suits the potential star safety just fine.
“Making plays!” he responded when asked about his favorite part of being a safety in Schwartz’ defense. “We’re manning this… I put it on tape last year, I’m manned up 60-70% of the time, so I’ll try to continue that and be the best man safety in football.”
If his training camp press availability from Tuesday is any indication, we’ll be seeing a lot more of the personality that Banda wants to see. The Delpit that spoke to the media was both confident and playful, with an endearing cockiness. But his job might be even tougher now, with Russell Wilson arriving in Pittsburgh, adding to an AFC North that also includes Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
Is he concerned that there are more elite quarterbacks in his division and on the schedule? “There is? I don’t know,” he responded. Then a bit more seriously, “It’s the league, you know? Of course, [Patrick] Mahomes is going to be, what, the No. 1 on the Top-100 this year. Of course, we’re looking forward to playing those guys, but we’re taking it week by week.”
It’s an appropriate mantra for Delpit, who will be seeking to take display his big-play ability on a week-by-week basis. There’s a lot of faith in the organization that he will do just that. There might not be a bigger believer in Delpit’s ability to unlock the whole field for the defense as Stefanski.
“You’ve seen safeties that can play down on the line of scrimmage, can play in the post, can play a half-field, can play at the linebacker level, you can blitz them,” said Stefanski about the best at the position. He sees those traits in Delpit, and is excited. “It allows the coordinator to do a bunch of different things.”
As for Delpit, he’s promising to make more game-turning plays in 2024, and knows he and partner Juan Thornhill have agency in creating those. “We call them takeaways, not turnovers,” he said, noting the distinction between making good things happen versus having good things fall into your lap.
“We didn’t have the output we wanted last year, but stay tuned,” Delpit declared. Believe him.
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