Grant Delpit has been a bit up and down for the Cleveland Browns.
After being drafted 44th overall by the team back in 2020, the safety has taken a dip in production. In 2022, he looked to have finally had his “arrival” within this Browns defense, picking up four interceptions and 10 passes defended in 17 games.
While that season was a lost one for the team, going 7-10 and ending the Baker Mayfield era, Delpit had established himself as a potential foundational piece in the defense for years to come. Then, in 2023, he played just 13 games and had just one takeaway, and in 2024, he had no takeaways in 16 games.
As a tackler and run stuffer, he’s still one of the Browns’ best. Ranking ninth in the league in solo tackles amongst all free safeties and having missed just 11 tackles, Delpit is someone you can still build with – but, the Browns’ current safety room needs major work in order to get there. There are still some solid, available safeties in free agency for Cleveland to choose from.
2 best available safeties in free agency for Browns to consider
Justin Simmons
Possibly the best available safety on the market, Simmons just finished up a somewhat productive 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons. He had two interceptions and played a majority of the team’s snaps, but he had just an overall grade of 59.9 from PFF thanks to a slightly lower rating as a pass rusher from the analytics site.
Simmons’ ability to tackle seemed to also see a huge dip with the Falcons in 2024, with his missed tackle rate of 22.2 percent at one point during the season. But, Atlanta’s defense was a major weak spot as a whole, so it might’ve just been a bug due to the entire feature of their scheme. If placed with Cleveland, he could get back to his All-Pro production.
Julian Blackmon
Blackmon is another defender who might’ve flown under the radar because of the team he was with in 2024, the Indianapolis Colts. He played some major minutes for the Colts last season, ranked fourth overall amongst safeties in the NFL in snaps played. That’s a big plus for Cleveland as they really need to secure a healthier secondary in 2025.
Blackmon’s 457 run defense snaps in 2024 could translate well for the Browns as they can lean on their strength defensively – stopping the run game. In pass defense, he was 17th overall in snaps defending the pass, so he has had some meaningful reps there. Blackmon’s consistency, health, and age (just 26 years old) should make him a real target for Cleveland.
