CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns will go in search of their first victory of the season when they take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and they do so after acknowledging one change to the depth chart in their weekly game release Tuesday.
The Browns are keeping the same starters on offense and special teams, but according to the weekly release, the coaching staff moved rookie defensive back Greedy Williams ahead of veteran Terrance Mitchell at the cornerback spot opposite second-year standout Denzel Ward.
Williams was listed behind Mitchell on the depth chart ahead of the 2019 regular-season opener, but got the surprise start in last Sunday’s 43-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
“I just did what I did, just kept my mouth shut and put my best foot forward at practice,” Williams said after Monday’s film sessions.
“Anytime you graduate to the next level and it’s your first game, you’re nervous. You just plan not to mess up.”
During his NFL debut, Williams registered two solo tackles, not bad for someone who spent much of training camp working with the second-team defense.
“I just stayed forward,” said Williams, a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of LSU. “I never let anything get me down. I just practiced hard every day, competed every day, and after the preseason, before the practice, I get the notice that I’m probably going to be in a starting role. Like I said, just trust in what I do and great things come.”
Outside of moving Williams into the starting lineup after the opener, the Browns kept the lineup the same with receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., tight ends David Njoku and Demetrius Harris, running back Nick Chubb, quarterback Baker Mayfield and offensive linemen Greg Robinson (left tackle), Joel Bitonio (left guard), JC Tretter (center), Eric Kush (right guard) and Chris Hubbard (right tackle).
Defensively, the Browns are going with the same front seven as they had against Tennessee: ends Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon, tackles Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson, as well as linebackers Christian Kirksey, Joe Schobert and Adarius Taylor.
In the secondary, the Browns are expected to start Ward and Williams at the corners and Damarious Randall and Morgan Burnett at the safety spots.
Charley Hughlett (long-snapper), Jamie Gillan (punter) and Austin Seibert (kicker) will continue filling the special-teams roles.