3 bargain free agents Cleveland Browns should sign before NFL Draft

Browns FA option No. 2: Rodney McLeod, Safety

With Juan Thornhill signed, Cleveland feels much better about their secondary heading into the 2023 season. He's a true centerfielder, which means he will fit better than John Johnson III who was released this offseason. His presence also means Grant Delpit can play closer to the line of scrimmage, which is also a win.

The only problem is, there aren't too many capable backups on this roster right now. The Browns could elect to go into the draft and look for a player they can trust but if we're being honest — this class is less than inspiring at safety.

That's why it makes more sense to add a player they know can start in the NFL if they need him to. One option is Rodney McLeod, a veteran with 156 career games and 138 starts under his belt. McLeod has played for three teams, spending four seasons with the St. Louis Rams, six with the Philadelphia Eagles, and one (in 2022) with the Indianapolis Colts.

He's coming off a 96-tackle campaign with two picks for Indy but since he will be 33 in June, he's not exactly garnering a lot of attention. For the Browns, they could try and lure him in and he would be able to get plenty of snaps — especially given his familiarity with Jim Schwartz who was his defensive coordinator in Philly.

McLeod might be holding out for a starting gig but if the Browns could convince him to re-join Schwartz, it would be a wise move to solidify their secondary depth.