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Cleveland Browns: 5 free agent options better than Malcolm Smith

By Chad Porto

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: A.J. Bouye #21 of the Jacksonville Jaguars enters the field with teammates Tyler Shatley #69 and Malcolm Smith #53 before the start of a game against the New York Jets at TIAA Bank Field on October 27, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: A.J. Bouye #21 of the Jacksonville Jaguars enters the field with teammates Tyler Shatley #69 and Malcolm Smith #53 before the start of a game against the New York Jets at TIAA Bank Field on October 27, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 30: Mark Barron #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after dropping a pass that would have been an interception in the second half during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 30: Mark Barron #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after dropping a pass that would have been an interception in the second half during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on September 30, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

Mark Barron

Why hasn’t the Cleveland Browns called about Mark Barron? Only twice in Barron’s career has he not had 80 tackles in a season. He’s as reliable as players come. He’s a fine tackler, with a good nose for making plays. He has nine career interceptions and 12 career sacks. Not bad considering he’s never at one place on the field for more than a season it seems.

Part of Barron’s intrigue is his dynamic ability to play anywhere on the defense it seems. Safety, corner, outside and inside linebacker. It doesn’t matter. He’s played five different positions on the teams he’s played on and has done well at all of them. Sure, as a top 10 pick, you hope for accolades, awards, and records, things Barron has none of, but what he has done is been a steady player at every position the defense needs him at.

Putting Barron on the field with Olivier Vernon will help the team be more dynamic across the board. Barron and Vernon have history at other positions and that type of dynamic can really help make Joe Woods three-safety-dime package work. Why remove a linebacker from the field when he can just move like a Transformer from one position to another with a snap of the fingers?

Barron may not be the John Lynch or Ronnie Lott of modern safeties, but as far as a free agent goes, he’s good enough to help plug some gaps as they come up. If the training camp for the Cleveland Browns has proven anything it’s that gaps will come up throughout the year.

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