The Cleveland Browns made the decision to move Damarious Randall from cornerback to free safety after his acquisition from Green Bay, and the results have paid off.
Entering the 2018 season, the Cleveland Browns wanted to be able to play Jabrill Peppers closer to the line of scrimmage after he struggled playing as a free safety last season.
In order to move Peppers, the Browns needed to find another safety that can be a play-maker on the back end of the defense, but can also make tackles while in space.
The Browns’ answer to that problem was to trade for Damarious Randall this off-season, who played primarily at cornerback for the Packers since he was drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft.
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Randall made his name known during the draft process for his strong play at safety when he played for Arizona State in his college days. But NFL teams value the cornerback position more than the safety position, so the Packers decided to use Randall’s athleticism at cornerback.
The results were mixed, as Randall continued to be a play-maker and created turnovers, but would get beat and create big play opportunities for the offense as well.
So when the Browns traded for Randall, they believed that he was better suited as a safety in the NFL and moved him back to his college position. And the Browns decision is looking like a smart one.
Despite being hampered with minor injuries during the first three games, Randall has played a key role in helping the Browns defense become a strength in 2018.
On the season, Randall has made 13 tackles, one interception, four passes defended, and one fumble recovered. Playing as the deep safety, opponents have not been able to succeed with deep shots downfield, as Randall has been able to range sideline to sideline and make plays on the ball.
But not only has he been making plays on the ball, he has also played well in space. Opposing offenses have not been able to turn small gains into big, explosive plays, as Randall has excelled at making tackles.
#Browns S Damarious Randall has yet to miss a tackle in his 195 snaps. His 88.8 tackling grade ranks him fifth among safeties
— PFF CLE Browns (@PFF_Browns) September 26, 2018
The Browns secondary has played exceptionally well this season, especially considering how all but one key player, Peppers, was acquired this off-season.
One of the biggest concerns about the secondary this season was if Randall could play well in his first season back at safety. Overall, he has played well enough to help take the defense to the next level. It may have been seen as one of the smaller moves this off-season, but Randall is already proving his worth for the Browns.