The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Safety Joseph signs, physical is up next
Karl Joseph is betting on himself and on the Browns as the 26-year-old former Raider heads to Cleveland.
Karl Joseph is betting on himself.
And he’s betting on the Cleveland Browns.
A 26-year-old safety, one who played his first four years in the NFL with the Raiders, was officially signed as a member of the Browns on April 13, agreeing to what ESPN has reported as a one-year, $2.5-million contract.
Joseph is coming off a foot surgery that prematurely ended his 2019 season, and he has yet to take a physical with the Browns.
Nevertheless, both Joseph and the Browns announced the free-agent signing on April 13 while still being separated physically because of the novel coronavirus.
“The physical is still to be handled,” Joseph said in a conference call. “My agent and the Browns were able to work something out to where we’ll be able to finalize the contract. We’ll handle the physical later on.”
Despite having foot surgery in November to correct a break sustained in a Week 10 game against the Chargers, Joseph said he has no doubt he’ll pass the pending physical, whenever it is administered, and will be ready to roll for the start of training camp — again, whenever that might be.
“I don’t think it will be an issue,” Joseph said on the eventual physical with the Browns.
“I’m pretty positive I’ll be fine. Whenever we get the clearance to do that and move forward, I’m 100 percent confident I’ll be fine with the physical and I’ll pass it.”
Joseph is the 13th addition to the Browns’ roster since the start of the new league year. He joins a safety position that will be brand new this year, one that includes another freeagent signee Andrew Sendejo, along with second-year players Sheldrick Redwine and J.T. Hassell.
The addition of Joseph helps fill a void left by the departure of former Brown Damarious Randle, who, coincidentally, signed with the Raiders in an apparent swap of teams by the two veterans.
“I hope it works out better for me than it does for the Raiders,” Joseph said of he and Randall swapping teams.
In four years in Oakland, Joseph compiled 236 tackles, including a career-best 79 in 2017.
The broken foot last year sidetracked what as shaping up to be a productive year for the former 13th overall selection in the 2016 draft.
“I think I was definitely starting to get a lot more confident,” said the product of West Virginia University. “Not just me, but the team as well. We were starting to play real good ball together. I was feeling like I was starting to come into my own. .. It sucked to have the season end like that.”
Which led him to free agency.
And the Browns. Some might look at the one-year, $2.5-million contract as a low offer for a low opportunity, but Joseph doesn’t see it that way.
He said the opportunity to start at Cleveland, renewing a relationship with Browns defensive coordinator Joe Wood that started when Wood was with the Broncos and nearly drafted Joseph, and a vibe he got from the Browns organization combined to make the perfect pitch in free agency.
“I told my agent from the beginning of this process that money was not the most important thing,” Joseph said. “I loved my time with the Raiders. But for me, the most important thing was going to a place I felt wanted and a place that would give me the opportunity to be myself and reach my full potential. “Talking to Mr. Berry (Browns GM Andrew Berry) and the staff, there is an excitement about it. I felt like I was wanted. Everyone wants that feeling and to be part of something. I felt that once I spoke with the front office.”
Joseph said he is coming to Cleveland with the intent of not only winning the starting job — whether it be at strong safety or free safety — and to be here for longer than the one-year deal he signed.
“I think sometimes you have to take less (money and years) to show your worth,” he said. “My mindset is not one year. My mindset is to come in, do my job and help this team win some games. I’m not looking to be one year and out.”