Browns should pursue former Rams safety T.J. McDonald
By Kirk Binder
The Cleveland Browns still need to improve their defense and T.J. McDonald would be a good fit for their need at strong safety.
The Cleveland Browns were heavily involved in the market for free agent safety Tony Jefferson, who ultimately signed with their divisional rival in Baltimore. While Jefferson’s skill set is quite different from that of T.J. McDonald, this does not mean the latter would not be a good fit for the team.
Positives for the Browns
McDonald’s history with new Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would be a definite plus. The familiarity he has with Williams’s scheme would not only allow him to feel comfortable in his new digs but he could also help other players on the defense adapt to the playbook.
From an analytical approach he would seem to meet this regime’s criteria. He’s young, 26 years old, and already has four years of experience in the league. He has prototypical size for the position, 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, and decent speed. He is more of a hard-hitting/in-the-box safety, but has improved his coverage skills the past two seasons.
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Looking at the safety market, McDonald should not be commanding a lot of money. As all the big name safeties have signed elsewhere, Cleveland should be able to land him for $4-5 million per year. They may even be able to sign him to a one-year prove-it deal this late into free agency.
Last but not least, he has the NFL bloodlines. His father, Tim McDonald, was a six-time Pro-Bowl safety for Arizona and San Francisco during his playing career.
Negatives for the Browns
One major negative for McDonald is that there is a possible suspension looming for a pleading guilty to a reckless driving charge last May. This may be one of the reasons he remains on the open market. However, as a first-time offender he would probably only be looking at a two -ame suspension.
Another negative, especially relevant to McDonald’s prospects, would be the 2017 draft class. Players like Malik Hooker, Jamal Adams and Jabrill Peppers are probable first-round picks. Add Obi Melifonwu, Budda Baker, Marcus Williams and Marcus Maye, and this makes for a deep draft for the position.
The top free agent safeties have already been signed which means that several teams have already addressed the need, likely bypassing the position in the draft.
Even with the negatives, the Browns should still pursue McDonald. If they can sign him it would therefore allow them to draft a different position of need. As per Sportrac, the Browns still have $52 million in cap space.
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His aggressive style of play would work well in the AFC North and he would be the best strong safety the Browns have had since another T.J. manned the position, with that being T.J. Ward.