CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns cornerback Eric Wright, who received a second-round tender from the Browns on Thursday, is determined to rebound from his poor 2010 season and the sting of death threats from fans.

"I went from people expecting me to be a top cornerback in the league to receiving death threats," Wright said. "It was a lot to deal with."

Wright's career, which featured a stellar 2009 season, took a drastic turn in Week 3 when he gave up three touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin in a 24-17 loss to the Ravens. Suddenly, a player many expected to make the Pro Bowl in 2010 was under siege by fans and media.

"It's hard to dig yourself out of that type of hole when you have the worst game of your career," Wright said. "Then, the team's losing and we had a young corner in Joe Haden who looked great playing. There was a lot of negative attention around my struggles and it was hard to overcome."

The next week against the Bengals, Wright was blamed for many of Terrell Owens' 10 catches and 222 yards, though, few were his fault. Five games later against the Jets, Santonio Holmes beat him on a short slant that turned into the 37-yard game-winning touchdown in overtime as Wright, T.J. Ward and Eric Barton missed tackles.

"Whether others were there or not, it didn't matter," Wright said. "By that time, it's going to be Eric Wright's fault."

He played well in other games, but the damage was done.

"It was two or three games and a few other plays and it destroys everything you've worked hard for as far as making a name for yourself," Wright said. "By the time people are saying, 'He [stinks], get him out of there,' it's hard to shake."

Wright never reported the death threats to the Browns or police, attributing them to the extreme passion of Browns fans.

"I wasn't fearing for my life," he said. "As serious as a death threat may be, I wasn't going to let a few bad apples ruin the whole tree."

Throughout the season and afterward, Wright heard from some of the best cornerbacks in the league such as Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Champ Bailey about overcoming the adversity.

"They tried to motivate me in a positive way to block out certain things," Wright said. "The respect I have around the league is still there and everyone knows I'll bounce back."

Wright played through a pulled hamstring much of the season before suffering a bone bruise in Jacksonville on Nov. 21. An injury that was supposed to keep him out four to six weeks sidelined him for only one.

"I didn't want to let the team down," he said. "We were shorthanded at cornerback as it was. It was the same reason I came back last season two days after the car crash where I almost killed myself."

Wright played 2 1/2 games with the bone bruise and aggravated it in Cincinnati on Dec. 19. He also sprained a ligament in his knee that ended his season.

"It's given me a chance to focus on getting my knee healthy and I feel like an 18-year-old kid," Wright said. "I'm prepared to return and get my name back."

Wright wasn't sure if the Browns would tender him or let him go.

The tender, which Wright was happy to receive, means if a team were to sign Wright as a free agent, it would have to give the Browns a second-round pick. This, of course, is under the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement. A new agreement might make him a unrestricted free agent. Tender amounts for the 2011 season have not been set. Last season a tendered player with four years' experience made $1.759 million.

"I want to be in Cleveland," he said. "I feel like we're going in the right direction and I'm hopeful."

Wright talked to Browns President Mike Holmgren on Thursday and was encouraged.

"He said he knows that player wasn't me," Wright said. "He said he knows the player I am and that he wishes I would've come to his office last year so he could've helped me. I have the utmost respect for coach Holmgren and the organization."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670