The Cleveland Browns did the thing nobody thought they’d actually do. They traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Franchise-altering move, no doubt. And now the defense that leaned on Garrett for years has to figure out who steps up.
One name getting some attention? Tyson Campbell. The cornerback the Browns picked up midseason from Jacksonville isn’t exactly a secret. He signed a $76.5 million extension with the Jaguars back in 2024. But after getting traded in the middle of the 2025 campaign, he’s trying to prove he belongs long-term in Cleveland.
ESPN’s Ben Solak called Campbell a breakout candidate for 2026. Solak noted that Campbell looked more comfortable once he got to Cleveland, where the defensive scheme kept him closer to the line of scrimmage and simplified his coverage assignments. He can still get burned on deep routes when left isolated, but as a No. 2 to Denzel Ward, the upside is real. For the Browns to keep that defense near the top without Garrett, Solak said, this cornerback duo has to be among the league’s best.
Campbell’s numbers in Cleveland over 12 games: 53 tackles, 12 passes defended and one interception. Across a full 17-game season in 2025 — including his time in Jacksonville — he finished with 87 tackles, 18 pass breakups and a pick. Pro Football Focus gave him a 69.1 overall grade, which ranked 29th out of 114 cornerbacks. His run defense grade of 77.5 ranked 16th. Not elite, but solid.
The tricky part is that nobody on this roster can single-handedly replace what Garrett brought. He was a game-wrecker, the kind of player offenses had to game-plan around. Campbell isn’t that. But the Browns are trying to replace him in the aggregate, and Campbell is expected to be a big part of that equation.
Whether he can actually become that guy — a true No. 2 corner who thrives under a new defensive identity — is the question. He’s got the contract. He’s got the tools. Now he just has to deliver.
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