6 Free agent safeties Cleveland Browns should consider

6. Eric Reid, talented player and activist

Eric Reid is a totally competent strong safety who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and will celebrate his 29th birthday in December. He can actually play at a high level and could contribute long term. The problem is that, like his friend and former teammate Colin Kaepernick, he is a political activist, and that may have scared some teams. Is that enough to scare away the Browns?

If his political points of view differ from the majority of fans, that would be a showstopper in a Communist Rugby League, but should not matter much in the NFL. If he wants to kneel or do whatever he thinks is helpful to his cause during the national anthem, many fans including this one may not agree with him, but it is within the bounds of acceptable societal behavior to do so, and by now he has the support of NFL Commissioner Goodell.

As a former member of the military, I would not do that, but neither would I object if some other American has a different way to respond to the National Anthem or wishes to exercise First Amendment rights. Go ahead, and in no way is that cause for dismissal for the team or disciplinary action. However, after giving 10 years of military service to the USA, I hope you won’t mind if I remain standing, because I was born with that right, too.

Reid’s comments on Twitter come close to suggesting that if there is a difference of opinion on the dollar valuation of his services, the too-low valuation may be linked to forces of systemic oppression. That raises a caution flag. The general manager needs to be able to work through this, or a deal-making process may not be possible.

The terrible truth is that players never get paid what they believe their true worth is. GMs are cheapskates but it doesn’t necessarily equate them with oppressors of society. Oppressors of strong safeties, perhaps, but not society in general.

From the very beginning, Browns ownership has backed the player’s right to express different points of view. They have taken a pro-active view of setting up players with community organizations that want to work towards the type of social change and social justice that they want to work for. Check it out on the Browns’ web page, Be The Solution.

If Reid wants to work towards social justice, he will get every opportunity to do so in the Browns organization. You know the places where players were threatened with getting fired for not obeying the owner’s commands concerning the National Anthem?  Well, that was not Cleveland.

The Browns have a history of being out in front in terms of community relations and community building. Fans need to be reminded that a year before Jackie Robinson broke into Major League Baseball, the Cleveland Browns were the first team to sign African American players, namely Hall of Famers Marion Motley and Bill Willis. Maybe a frank discussion with Jim Brown about what he was able to do in Cleveland in the 1960s might be useful in helping Reid to understand the role that Cleveland has always had in promoting diversity.

Cleveland has had three African American general managers including Andrew Berry (so, okay, the Browns also have the NFL record for firing African American GMs also). They are building a truly diverse front office. Positions previously off-limits to women and minorities are now being filled by women and minorities in Cleveland, and they are attracting the best and brightest talent.

Eric Reid should sign a contract with the Browns if community involvement is important to him. He would be welcomed with open arms. Cleveland is a great home if he wants to truly get involved with the community rather than just wear the tee-shirt.  The main question for this writer, who has never met Reid, is whether he can tolerate teammates who may differ from his beliefs. This is a bit like the US Military. If you get wounded, you had better not care about the political party, race, religion, sex, or ethnicity of the soldiers coming to save you. All you need to be concerned about is that they are wearing the uniforms of the American Armed Services. You have to work together as a team.

Adults ought to be able to play football with other players who have distinctly different points of view. As long as Reid is okay with playing with other players who may be as far right as he is left, Reid could be a great signing. He received great reviews for his work from Ron Riviera in Carolina. The talent and moxie are there. So yeah, make him an offer.