Is Eric Berry still an option for the Cleveland Browns?

There were rumors that the Cleveland Browns were interested in safety Eric Berry once he was released by the Chiefs. Could that still be an option for them?

In an unexpected move this offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs released safety Eric Berry following two injury-plagued campaigns in 2017 and 2018. Not long after he was cut, the dots started to be connected between the former No. 5 overall pick out of Tennessee and the Cleveland Browns.

Berry, who was drafted in 2010, was with the Chiefs when current Browns general manager John Dorsey joined Kansas City. While Dorsey didn’t draft Berry, he was well aware of what the All-Pro safety brought to the table. Dorsey and the Browns were also suddenly in need of a new safety in their secondary which led to the connection.

Not long before Berry was released, Cleveland sent starting strong safety Jabrill Peppers to the New York Giants as a part of the Odell Beckham, Jr. trade. As soon as that deal was made — and even before Berry was released — the dots were connected and some wondered if the Browns would try and swing a deal for Berry.

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It turned out they wouldn’t need to give up any players or picks for Berry’s services once he became a free agent, but so far, the Browns interest has been seen only in reports. In fact, Berry so far has only visited with the Dallas Cowboys since hitting the open market.

While it was said Berry and the Cowboys had a good meeting, there was no agreement in place and the veteran was ready to go take more visits. If he has done that, then they’ve been secret meetings as no news has been reported about Berry being courted by NFL franchises.

The lack of interest could be due in large part to the questions surrounding his health. Berry is now over the age of 30 and tore his Achilles in 2017 and then dealt with bone spurs digging into the Achilles last year as he tried to come back.

Berry was able to play in the postseason, but there could be concerns down the road. That may be why Dallas didn’t offer him a deal — as it was rumored they had team doctors perform a physical on him. Since then, the Cowboys have seemed to move on, signing George Iloka on Saturday which takes one potential suitor off the table.

The longer Berry goes without significant interest from other teams, the more likely a pairing with the Browns seems. His familiarity with Dorsey could be enough to sway him to sign a team-friendly one-year deal where he can come and prove he’s 100 percent healthy.

Cleveland is in a good spot considering Derrick Kindred is perfectly capable of playing the strong safety role, meaning they would have little to lose by signing Berry, especially if his price does start to fall. It’s a play that’s worth the risk.