The Cleveland Browns have fully embraced their rebuild this offseason. As if that wasn’t already clear enough, the team traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster deal, as the front office continues to stockpile young talent and draft picks. With that being said, though, the Browns could end up surprising people in 2026.
While Cleveland’s offense remains a huge question mark (thanks in large part to the quarterback position), this defense was among the best units in the league last year. Garrett’s otherworldly production certainly helped, but this defense is still stocked full of talent. With that in mind, NFL analyst Ben Solak of ESPN recently predicted that cornerback Tyson Campbell could be due for a breakout campaign now that Garrett isn’t around to terrorize quarterbacks anymore.
Tyson Campbell Draws Bold Breakout Prediction
Cleveland already has a star cornerback, Denzel Ward, in town, but it may have found him a true No. 2 option last year. The Browns gave up on Greg Newsome early in the season and opted to flip him to the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of a deal that netted them Campbell, who was the first pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Campbell seemed to be a star in the making for the Jaguars, as he signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension ahead of the 2024 campaign. Instead, he struggled with injuries that year before the team opted to go younger at the cornerback position. Cleveland saw value in scooping up Campbell, and he enjoyed a strong finish to the year after leaving Jacksonville.
All in all, Campbell had one of the more complete seasons of his career in 2025, as he racked up 87 tackles, one interception (which he returned for a touchdown), 18 pass breakups, and a pair of forced fumbles. With a full offseason to master the Browns’ defensive scheme, expectations are high for Campbell, as Solak believes he and Ward can become one of the better cornerback duos in the NFL.
“Campbell looked more at home in Cleveland, where he was kept closer to the line of scrimmage and given a simpler menu of coverages,” Solak wrote. “He can still get picked on at times, especially when isolated on vertical routes. But as a No. 2 to Denzel Ward, he has a high ceiling given the play we’ve seen from him in the past. For the Browns’ defense to retain its elite status without Myles Garrett, it needs this cornerback duo to be among the league’s best.”
Can Tyson Campbell Build Off His Strong 2025 Campaign?
GettyNFL analyst Ben Solak predicted that Tyson Campbell will enjoy a breakout campaign for the Browns in 2026
Sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes for a player to find his footing in the NFL. Campbell certainly looked like himself during his 12-game stint with the Browns, but life will be more difficult now that Garrett isn’t single-handedly taking over games along the defensive line. With Cleveland bound to get less pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that means the secondary is going to have to hold its coverages for longer moving forward.
Will Campbell be able to hold up in a more difficult setting for this team? Time will tell, and it is also worth noting that new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg will also likely be tinkering with this unit. Campbell looked capable of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together last season, though, and if he can, it’s not outrageous to suggest that both he and Ward could wind up putting together Pro Bowl campaigns.
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