WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Grant Delpit was asked about feeling cheated on Tuesday at Browns training camp.
The question was if Delpit felt cheated not being about to get back from a December groin injury in time to play in the Browns' AFC wild card loss at the Houston Texans. What the fifth-year safety thought the question was about had nothing to do with anything on the field.
"I thought you was talking about Madden (NFL '25)," Delpit said, referring to the player rankings for the video game that came out. "So everybody was tagging at me, tagging me yesterday."
The rankings that the game's maker, Electronic Arts, dropped had Delpit ranked as the No. 12 strong safety in the game. Among AFC strong safeties, he was ranked seventh, while Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton was the only AFC North strong safety in front of him.
Of course, part of that may have had to do with the fact Delpit wasn't able to get back in time for the Browns' playoff loss. He sustained the groin tear during the Week 14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and, while he had been designated for return from injured reserve the week of the playoff game, he wasn't activated.
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That meant Delpit was once again unable to play in the playoffs. Since being taken No. 44 overall in the second round of the 2020 draft out of LSU, the Browns have made the postseason twice and played in three total playoff games, and he's played in none of them.
Delpit lost his entire rookie season to a training camp Achilles tear, costing him a chance to be a part of a team that reached the divisional round. Last season, it was the groin injury.
"Yeah, of course I feel left out," Delpit said. "Never want to finish the season like that. But that's what we got other guys for. We didn't end how we wanted it to, but new year, new start, right?"
It's a new year and a new start, yes. Delpit, however, wants to make sure a lot of what he did last season before the injury carries over into this season.
The interception numbers dropped from a career-high four in 2022 — the only season he's played the full 17 games — to just one last season. However, it can easily be argued that Delpit's all-around game, especially in pass coverage, was much better last season than the season before.
"We really had goals set out last year, and this year is about a reset of goals and what he wants to do and attack," safeties coach Ephraim Banda said Tuesday. "You know, I’m excited to see where coming off the injury and the work that he’s put in in the offseason and seeing him really attack this offseason, get closer and closer to games and I know he’ll be ready. I know he’s motivated mentally, physically. He really wants to attack it and have a really successful year with his body."
Part of that was just the relative good health, save for the injury, Delpit was able to enjoy the last couple of seasons. That's allowed him to establish himself, something that tough to do over his first two seasons while he battled the health issues plagued him his first two seasons.
The other part was the scheme new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz brought in when he was hired in January 2023. That scheme boasted aggressive defensive linemen and heavy man-to-man coverage in the back end.
That was music to Delpit's ears.
"Yeah, man it up," Delpit said. "We man it up. I put it on tape a lot last year. Everybody knows that we play man, man, 60, 70% of the time. So trying to continue that being the best man safety in football really."
Delpit's going to get his chance to prove that in Cleveland for the foreseeable future. The same day he suffered the groin injury, word came out that he was also getting a new three-year deal.
That contract gives Delpit a chance to potentially establish roots in a system that seems to fit him well. Which gives him a chance to potentially prove whether or not a video game ranking really cheated him.
"Yeah, it looks like I'm going to be here for the long run," Delpit said. "We wouldn't want to be anywhere else, man. It is year five already. It's crazy to think about. I'm so thankful for the organization, man. (Jimmy and Dee Haslam), AB (general manager Andrew Berry) believe in me, to be honest. I feel I haven't shown you anything yet."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
