The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Browns continue to be active in free agency
Andrew Berry and the Browns continued their active freeagent splurge, signing four more players, including three on the defensive side of the ball. Jeff Schudel has the latest.
If you thought finding hand sanitizer in a supermarket or drug store was difficult these days, try finding a safety on the Browns’ roster.
The Browns solved part of the problem March 18 when they agreed to a oneyear contract with freeagent strong safety Karl Joseph from the Raiders, but there are still holes to fill at the position.
The Browns followed the Joseph acquisition by signing defensive tackle Andrew Billings from the Bengals on March 19 and then signed veteran cornerback Kevin Johnson to a one-year contract, a league source confirmed.
The starting defensive line is a strength for the Browns, but they need depth at end and tackle. Larry Ogunjobi started all 16 games at defensive tackle last season. Sheldon Richardson started 13 games at tackle and three at defensive end.
Billings, a fourth-round pick by Cincinnati in 2016, started 16 games with the Bengals in 2018 and 14 last season. He made 35 tackles and had four quarterback hits in 2019.
Johnson fits into the secondary in the same way. The Browns are set with Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams as their starting cornerbacks, but they need a backup after cutting T. J. Carrie.
Johnson, chosen with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Texans, played with Houston from 2015-18. He was with the Bills last season. He made 10 starts as a rookie but has started only nine games in the last four years. He has one interception.
The Browns are searching for starters and backups at safety. Joseph, with the reputation as a hard hitter, would be the starting strong safety if they played a game today.
Damarious Randall, the
Browns’ starting free safety in 2019, is an unrestricted free agent still looking for a team. Morgan Burnett, who started eight games last year before an Achilles injury ended his season, was cut March 16.
Two other Browns safeties from 2019 have new teams. Eric Murray, who played in nine games with four starts last season, signed a three-year, $20.5 million contract with the Texans. Juston Burris got a two-year, $8 million deal with the Panthers.
Sheldrick Redwine, a rookie in 2019, and J.T. Hassell, who appeared in four games and totaled three tackles, were the only safeties on the roster before the Browns came to terms with Joseph, picked 14th overall by Oakland in the 2016 draft.
Joseph, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, played nine games last season until a foot injury that required surgery ended his season. He made 49 tackles and intercepted one pass.
Joseph played in 49 games with 41 starts in four seasons with the Raiders.
The Browns have acquired seven players over a four-day span — four on offense and three on defense.
They agreed to terms with tight end Austin Hooper (Falcons), right tackle Jack Conklin (Titans) and quarterback Case Keenum (Redskins) on March 16. They acquired fullback Andy Janovich
from the Broncos for a 2021 seventh-round draft pick on March 17.
Linebacker B.J. Goodson from the Packers agreed to a one-year contract March 18.