NFL teams have already begun to report to training camp, so you know what means: The 2019 season is right around the corner.

As we inch closer to football's return, we here at CBS Sports are diving into all 32 teams as part of a summer-long look at some of this year's most important camp battles.

In this edition, we highlight a crowded competition for depth in Cleveland: The Browns' cornerback position.

You can find all our training camp battle stories here.

Why this battle is key

When John Dorsey took over as Browns general manager in December 2017, absolutely zero of the team's current cornerbacks were on Cleveland's roster. That should tell you right off the bat that Dorsey has been serious about fixing the position, not only because the Browns had a lack of talent there but because, well, cornerback is pretty important.

You can make a case that pass rush is just as, if not more, important than actual pass coverage in today's quick-strike game, but no matter how you slice it, you have to be able to defend the aerial game. "Defend," of course, doesn't mean "shut down," because, again, today's best offenses are largely centered on getting the ball out quickly and, thus, deflating the defensive backfield's power. But in a division that still features Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster and A.J. Green, the Browns will need solid corners if they want to live up to their 2019 hype.

The 2018 season showed Cleveland has the foundation for a solid CB group, with former first-round draft pick Denzel Ward locked in as the No. 1 and capable starters around him. But there's still a decent amount of uncertainty as far as which guys will man which spots, not to mention which lower-tier reserves will round out the order as the No. 5 and/or No. 6 CBs.

Here are the biggest names vying for roles in 2019:

Players in the mix

Denzel Ward

We don't need to spend too much time on Ward, because even if he endures somewhat of a sophomore slump, the Browns are in a good position with him atop the depth chart. At times in 2018, he was easily among the best rookies in the NFL despite being challenged more than most first-year CBs. If the Pro Bowler replicates his debut season, it'll go a long way to making Cleveland one of the league's top defenses.

Terrance Mitchell

He's listed second here, but he could easily open the season fourth on the depth chart, which tells you how much importance camp and preseason hold for this group. One of Dorsey's ex-Chief recruits, Mitchell was a surprise standout a summer ago, opening the year opposite Ward, but missed half the year with a broken wrist. His ceiling arguably isn't as high as some of the guys behind him, but he's flashed when he's been healthy. The big question isn't so much whether he has a role as it is what role he'll play. Assuming he doesn't take a step back in camp, common sense says he stays outside, either as a bridge to the Browns' latest first-rounder or his top insurance.

T.J. Carrie

Like Mitchell, he also joined the Browns in 2018, except he made it all 16 games. Carrie actually lost out on an outside starting job to Mitchell before manning his traditional nickel role but found himself up against big-timers like Julio Jones by season's end. While he's easily the most proven option in the slot and counts $8.9 million against the salary cap this year, Carrie also isn't guaranteed a long-term job there considering both Mitchell and Ward are capable of moving inside. At his best, however, he makes the most sense there in 2019, with Ward and either Mitchell or our next man on the list patrolling the sidelines.

Greedy Williams

Training camp and preseason will be even bigger indicators of whether Williams is ready to make an immediate go at a starting gig than most people realize. One of the chief concerns about the LSU product is his size and immediate confrontation with receivers off the line, and he'll get plenty of tests in those regards over the summer. It's easy to demand too much from rookie corners, but Williams also has the length and natural athleticism to make an early impact. Best-case scenario, he beats out Mitchell and gives the Browns one of the most enticing young CB duos in the game.

Tavierre Thomas

And here begins our crowded quest to identify No. 5 on the depth chart. Barring a trade of someone like Carrie, the first four are all but guarantees for the 53-man roster. Thomas just happens to be the man with the next-most experience on Cleveland's active depth chart, carving out a 13-game gig as a special teamer in 2018. His best bet for returning is reiterating his value there.

Phillip Gaines

As far as starting experience goes, none of the reserves fighting for a No. 5 or No. 6 job come close to Gaines. The mere fact that he was a third-round pick of the Chiefs under Dorsey's watch should have him among the favorites to claim a backup spot. He's only got one interception in five seasons and lasted just seven games with the Bills in 2018, but at least he's familiar with the game.

Juston Burris

Like Thomas, he's got the benefit of having spent time with the Browns during the 2018 season, appearing in four games after Cleveland claimed him off the Jets' practice squad in November. He's still somewhat of a project after three seasons but boasts good size and flashed earlier in his career with a couple of turnovers. He seems like a candidate to catch Steve Wilks' attention in camp, but only as a potential No. 6.

Lenzy Pipkins

You can lump him in with Donnie Lewis Jr., the team's seventh-round pick this year, and the rest of the bunch: Jhavonte Dean, Robert Jackson and Jermaine Ponder. For the time being, you can only assume there might be one or two practice squad possibilities here. Pipkins offers the most NFL experience of the bunch, but he's already been with four teams in two years.