Over the last half decade or so, an emphasis has been placed on the cornerback position as one of the most important in today’s pass-heavy game. Without a high-end cornerback, teams have a difficult time slowing down the high-flying, quarterback- and receiver-driven offenses in today’s game. That’s especially true in the AFC North.
While some of the big-name players such as the quarterbacks, running backs and pass rushers steal the headlines within the division overall, quietly the cornerbacks in the division are right there with some of the best across the league. Names like Marlon Humphrey and Denzel Ward should ring a bell when it comes to some of the best in the NFL today, and so too will guys like Greg Newsome, Chidobe Awuzie and Joey Porter Jr.