The Cleveland Browns will embark on a new era in 2026 under defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.
This will be Rutenberg’s debut season as a defensive coordinator, but he has been coaching defense since 2003 when he was an assistant defensive back coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rutenberg shares similarities with former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in that they both favor using a four-man defensive front as much as possible. But it is Rutenberg’s experience working in the secondary that may
be the biggest change, as he favors having five players in the secondary on the field as much as possible.
And those five players will often include three safeties, a move that general manager Andrew Berry highlighted during the offseason as an area where the Browns need to catch up to the rest of the league.
Cleveland’s group of safeties for 2026 includes incumbents Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman and should include rookie Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, one of the team’s second-round draft selections.
As to who else will be in the room, let’s take a quick run-through of the roster as the days slowly tick by to the start of training camp later this month.
Browns Safety Depth Chart
- Grant Delpit
- Christopher Edmonds
- Ronnie Hickman
- Donovan McMillon
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
- Daniel Thomas
- Zion Washington
Browns Safety Expectations
Best Case Scenario
Delpit, who is entering the final year of his contract, puts aside those concerns and plays well enough to not only be a stabilizing anchor in the secondary but also earn that next contract with the Browns. The situation is similar to Hickman’s, who is playing on a one-year contract in 2026 after being a restricted free agent, and is looking to build off his 2025 season when he had 103 tackles while becoming a full-time starter for the first time.
McNeil-Warren makes a seamless transition from the MAC to the NFL, which will be accelerated by letting him play one position to get comfortable before adding in responsibilities, an approach that worked with Hickman after he signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Worst Case Scenario
Delpit continues to let his contract situation impact his play on the field to the point that the Browns trade him mid-season. Hickman goes into a decline, and McNeil-Warren struggles to adapt as he discovers the NFL is a much different brand of football than what he experienced in the MAC.
That leaves the Browns having to rely more on second-year player Donovan McMillon, who, while solid on special teams, may not be ready just yet for an expanded role.
Coverage breakdowns continue to plague the group as they struggle to adapt to Rutenberg’s defensive philosophy, with the weekly highlights of players pointing at each other after giving up another long pass play.
What do you see when you look at Cleveland’s safety room? Is there an addition to the depth chart you would like to see? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
