Cleveland Browns: 14 safety targets in free agency
By Sam Penix
14 free agent safeties for the Cleveland Browns to target
The safety position was an issue for the Cleveland Browns in 2020. The return (and NFL debut) of Grant Delpit will make a huge difference, but one player is not enough. The team must sign a quality starter in free agency (or land one in the draft) in order to properly run defensive coordinator Joe Woods’ cover-3 scheme, which features a third safety on the field for the majority of snaps.
Here are 14 free agents who could fill that role. Please note that these players are not ranked in any particular order.
14. Tre Boston – Carolina Panthers – 28
Tre Boston has been one of the NFL’s best coverage safeties for a while now, and although he had a down year in 2020, that was primarily due to his usage; rather than playing him at free safety, where he excels, the Panthers used him more in the box, which did not help him at all.
Panthers release safety Tre Boston. He was used around the line of scrimmage much more than in previous years. Still a very good free safety.
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) February 19, 2021
From 2017-20, one of the best free safety @PFF coverage grades in the league pic.twitter.com/j0s9RUrmiN
Carolina will be releasing Boston in an effort to gain cap space, and once he hits the open market, the Browns should strongly consider him, especially if he’ll get less than the $6 million he was slated to make this season.
13. Anthony Harris – Minnesota Vikings – 29
Another premier coverage safety, Harris has been linked to the Browns over the past few seasons and played 2020 on the franchise tag. He’ll likely command one of the higher salaries on this list, but will likely provide some of the best performance as well.
12. Ricardo Allen – Atlanta Falcons – 29
Allen just finished up a three-year $19.5 million contract with the Falcons, and provided solid, if unspectacular play. He’s a low-cost option on the market who could provide solid depth if nothing else.
11. Jaquiski Tartt – San Francisco 49ers – 29
Tartt made just under $6.3 million last season but injuries limited him to only seven games. He can play both safety spots reasonably well and already has a relationship with Woods from their time in San Francisco together.
10. Duron Harmon, Detroit Lions – 30
A long-time New England Patriot, Duron Harmon was dealt to the Lions prior to last season and played fine, but not to the level that he did with the Pats. Perhaps this was due to him regressing as he neared the 30-year plateau, or perhaps it was due to the Lions defense underperforming as a whole, with other secondary members like Desmond Trufant and Jeff Okudah also having down years, although theirs were much, much worse.
Harmon is an experienced veteran with plenty of quality film, and having him hold down a very young secondary in Cleveland would be a good situation.