3 big changes the Cleveland Browns need to make before 2023
By Randy Gurzi
1. Find a centerfield safety
Grant Delpit has been the target of a lot of criticism this season and much of it’s warranted. His play has been less than stellar and he leaves a lot to be desired in coverage.
Having said that, he showed in Week 10 what he does best as he was playing closer to the line of scrimmage. With most players being bullied, Delpit was making one play after another including a stop on fourth down.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to play in this role very often since he’s used as a free safety. That’s because every safety on this team is better when they’re not playing deep coverage. This is why they gave up those long touchdowns early in the season which led to some late meltdowns.
In no way is this meant to completely absolve the players but it would be smart to put them in a better position to succeed. This would be best achieved by bringing in a legitimate centerfielder.
There aren’t a lot of options in free agency — unless they want to break the bank for Jessie Bates III — but there’s a name in the draft to watch. JL Skinner from Boise State would be an excellent fit and could very well be on the board when the Browns make their selection in the second round.
Such a move would do wonders for the entire defense as he would not only give them a great security blanket in the secondary but players such as Delpit would be free to do what they do best as well.
