Cleveland Browns: Damarious Randall in for the long haul?
By Dan Justik
Cleveland Browns free safety Damarious Randall hinted on Twitter that he may want to sign an extension and stay with the organization before he enters free agency.
Cleveland Browns free safety Damarious Randall has been one of the most surprising players on the Browns defense during the 2018 season.
Before being traded to the Browns in March, Randall played cornerback for the Green Bay Packers. Although he was able to make plays at the position, he was struggling to be a shutdown cornerback. Following the trade, the Browns decided to move Randall back safety, his position in college.
The move to safety has paid off big time for Randall and the Browns, as Randall has been all over the field making plays. His talent and personality has quickly made him a fan favorite. In fact, fans are asking Randall about if they should buy his jersey, leading to an interesting response from Randall.
https://twitter.com/RandallTime/status/1070805988930916352
Randall is due to be a free agent following the 2019 season after the Browns exercised his fifth-year option a month after acquiring him from the Packers. His strong play this season makes him an obvious candidate for an extension in the off-season.
Randall has been dealing with injuries all season, yet he has still been a vital member of the Browns defense. Randall has started all 11 games for the Browns this season, compiling 65 total tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, and eight passes defended.
Under Gregg Williams, the Browns like to play with a single-high safety. That safety needs to be able to be a ball hawk in the deep middle of third of the defense, while also having the ability to come up and be a sure tackler.
Randall has fit perfectly into that role due to his great ball skills and surprising ability to be a great tackler. The Browns are able to play their corners in press coverage often due to Randall’s ability to go sideline-to-sideline to make plays on passes.
Randall also brings a swagger to the Browns defense and is vital to what the defense does as a unit. With his role in the defense, the Browns should make signing him to an extension this off-season a priority.
The biggest question will be if the Browns new head coach will want Randall in the fold and if he will fit into a potential new defense. Despite that, Randall’s response on Twitter makes it appear that he is in for the long haul of being a Cleveland Brown.