What are the Browns getting in S Juan Thornhill?

A look at what the Cleveland Browns are getting in the new addition of Juan Thornhill.

Brandon Little | Mar 16, 2023

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Cleveland Browns

Yesterday, the Cleveland Browns found their next free safety in Juan Thornhill, who is fresh off of a Super Bowl win with the Kansas City Chiefs. Thornhill was with the Chiefs for four seasons after being a second-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Virginia.

Some Browns fans may not be too familiar with Thornhill outside of him being one of the top available safeties on the market. So, I went to Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote to get a better feel of who Thornhill is, from the view of someone who has covered him in depth while he was in Kansas City.

"Thornhill is a player who flashed great athleticism entering the league but then suffered a torn ACL and took a very long time to resemble his rookie self," I was told.

Thornhill had three interceptions in 16 starts as a rookie. He defended five passes and made 58 tackles during his first season. The Virginia product even has a pick-six.

In the second season in Kansas City, Thornhill made just eight starts and made a career-low 41 tackles. This was during the time that Thornhill just was not playing as he did as a rookie. During 2021, Thornhill played in 17 games with 12 starts and showed more than he did as a rookie.

Cleveland's new safety bounced back last season for the Chiefs, especially down the stretch run of the playoffs. Thornhill had three interceptions, 71 tackles, and four tackles for a loss in 2022. He played more of a box role and was effective.

"Thornhill started the 2022 season on a bumpy note but once he and Justin Reid both settled in, he started playing some of the best football of his career leading up to and in the playoffs. Thornhill also emerged as a more vocal leader in his final season as a Chief and displayed a respectable blend of aggression and confidence."

Foote explained the type of player that Thornhill was in Kansas City and where he was the best.

"He is able to function out of Cover-2 looks but also has the range to work as a single-high safety if necessary. He doesn't possess the full-fledged slot versatility of some stars, yet his 500-plus career snaps in the slot and nearly 700 reps working in the box make him a decent second safety for just about any defense."

Going away, it looks like the Browns have filled the vacancy left by John Johnson III, who was cut as a cap casualty. Cleveland looks to have grabbed a player that started his career strong, then dealt with some injuries. Last season, Thornhill showed he was past that. Now, the hope is he can bring it on a consistent basis.

"He's far from a perfect player but considering the value and his age, Cleveland could be getting solid value here."

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