Cleveland Browns: 3 players the team should pursue via trade

Detroit Lions – CB Darius Slay/Denver Bronco – CB Chris Harris Jr

This one is less about the position and more about the consequences of it. Both Chris Harris Jr. and Darius Slay are good (enough) cover corners. They’re also both around 30 and are slowing down. The Browns aren’t desperate for corner help but the move makes sense because of what happens to some corners as they age.

They change positions. If they want that is.

Both Slay and Harris can move to free safety and play more zone coverage, and less man. That way they don’t need to worry so much about the physicality and speed needed to try to keep up with the receivers. Instead, they can use their instincts and knowledge to stay relevant and competitive on the field.

Hall of Fame talent like Charles Woodson, Aneas Williams, Rod Woodson, Ronnie Lott, and Ronde Barber all moved to safety at some point in their careers. There’s even more modern Pro Bowl talent who’ve done it, like the Patriots’ Devin McCourty or the Bills’ Troy Vincent. There are plenty of examples of older talent moving positions to prolong their career and even having success from it.

There are even examples of younger players doing it, like former Arizona Cardinals Tyrann Mathieu who played college as a cornerback, or another former Cardinal in Antrel Rolle. So if a player like Slay or Harris proves to be better at corner than the younger guys ahead of them, then maybe a move for Greedy Williams could be in order. Either way, this move bolsters the secondary and adds flexibility to roster spots, personnel and position management