Cleveland Browns: 4 free agent safeties that are perfect fits in 2020
By Randy Gurzi
2. Karl Joseph, Las Vegas Raiders
One potential free agent who hasn’t gotten the love he deserves is Karl Joseph, a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2016. The West Virginia product was never a favorite of head coach Jon Gruden, who took over in 2018, and the trade rumors started that season — and continued throughout his final year with Oakland.
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Now with the club moving to Las Vegas, it appears Joseph will be left behind. And despite being a top-15 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, he hasn’t been talked up much at all as a free agent. That could be a good thing for the Browns as other teams might not be lining up to throw money his way.
For Cleveland, he would be a great signing as he would fill a role that was sorely missed last year. The Browns had sent Jabrill Peppers to the New York Giants in the Odell Beckham, Jr. trade. With him gone, there was no enforcer in the secondary — which is exactly what Peppers had become.
Joseph can provide a similar player. He’s not a stud in pass coverage (but he’s not exactly a slouch) but what he can do is bring the heat when he comes in to make a tackle. For that reason, the Browns would be smart to add a player such as Joseph who could make defenses think twice about going over the middle of the field.