First look: Safeties

There are seven safeties on the Browns’ training camp roster and there is a very good chance five will be good to go in the season opener Sept. 13 in Baltimore.

 

Safeties play an important role in new coordinator Joe Woods’ 4-2-5 base look, the 5 in this case being the nickel back. They key man is the free safety. The Browns have one player who fits the mold.

 

Rookie Grant Delpit is going to be the club’s free safety, but he’ll be a free safety in name only. That’s because the 6-2, 215-pounder from Louisiana State brings the kind of versatility to the position that has been absent for far too long in Cleveland.

 

As the season unwinds and Woods discovers the unique talents Delpit possesses, fans can expect to see him line up in a variety of ways: Man coverage against the opposing tight end on one play, blitz off the edge on the next play, deep zone on the next play and generally be around the football.

 

His speed, play recognition, natural football acumen, soft hands and, yes, tackling ability will give the Cleveland defense a fresh new look in the back end.

 

The reason he was there for the Browns to pluck in the second round of the college draft was an erroneous notion he was a poor tackler, a reputation he gleaned last season. He blamed it on playing through a high ankle sprain for half the season.

 

Delpit entered the 2019 collegiate season highly rated and still won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back. He says his precipitous fall in the draft will serve as incentive as he begins his National Football League career.

 

He’ll be supported back there by veterans Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo and returnees Sheldrick Redwine and J. T. Hassell. Rookies Elijah Benton and Jovante Moffatt will be given token looks.

 

Joseph was signed as a free agent after being released by the Oakland Raiders and will get a major portion of the repetitions at strong safety. He was playing at a high level when he suffered a season-ending foot injury last season after nine games. He is considered a strong locker room presence.

 

One of his major responsibilities will be making certain opposing tight ends do not run wild as they have the last five seasons against the Browns (50 touchdowns).  Last season, the defense allowed them to catch 68% of the passes thrown their way.

 

Sendejo, also signed as a free agent, is in his 11^th season, playing most of that time with the Minnesota Vikings. One of the graybeards on the club (he’ll be 33 a few days prior to the season opener), he is an overachiever known for his toughness and physicality.

 

Redwine started five games at free safety for the Browns in his rookie season, but probably figures as more of a backup this season with the addition of the aforementioned trio. Hassell saw minimal playing time last season.

 

Overall, the new almost brand new look at the back end of the secondary strongly suggests the defense will be much more aggressive than in the past few seasons. It’s about time.

Next: Special teams