4 Former Cleveland Browns still looking for a new home in 2022
Former Browns Player No. 3: Malcolm Smith
Another former Browns player in need of a new home in 2022 is also a Super Bowl champion, and not only that but a Super Bowl MVP as well. Malcolm Smith won the award when he helped lead the Seahawks to a dominating 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in 2013. He picked off Peyton Manning and returned it for a touchdown, while also compiling 10 total tackles, a pass deflection, and also scooped up a loose ball.
Pretty impressive performance in the biggest game of his life up to that point.
He had two very good seasons in 2015 and 2016 when he had 225 tackles, four sacks, 15 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, two picks, nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Outside of that, there’s not much to his resume outside of nearly 300 additional tackles, 20 more tackles for loss, and three more sacks.
After spending his first four seasons with the Seahawks, after they drafted him in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Smith has bounced around a little bit, playing for five other teams, including Cleveland the past two seasons.
In those two years with the Browns, Smith appeared in 30 games, making 10 starts. He had 123 tackles, six tackles for a loss, seven passes defensed, three picks (two in 2021), and a forced fumble. Again, a very serviceable player that just simply did not fit the 2022 version of the Browns.
The 11-year veteran could go and help a team like the Jets, who are young and in need of a veteran presence. They likely won’t win many games this season, but he could get some playing time while attempting to mold the next generation.
He is another player, much like Jackson, who could also look to join a contender, and one that comes to mind is the Dallas Cowboys, who need a little insurance and depth at the linebacker position (and he has spent time with them in the past). He likely won’t cost a ton of money against the cap, so a flier on him would not be a bad option for an upper echelon team.
Best Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys