The Cleveland Browns suffered another major injury Sunday when it was announced that safety Rodney McLeod will miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury.
To soften the blow, the team announced it had signed three-time Super Bowl champion Duron Harmon.
Harmon is a veteran safety who has had a lot of success in the league over the years and even had one of his best seasons in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
2022 statistics
Tackles: 86
Pass Deviations: 5
Interceptions: 2
Forced fumbles: 2
PFF grade: 72.3
Harmon will provide the Browns with much of the experience and leadership in the secondary they lost under McLeod.
He is also a versatile safety who has played all over the field on defense and can be used the same way Jim Schwartz used McLeod. In 2022, he earned a coverage ratio of 77.6, which is well above average thanks to his strong safety position.
Harmon’s instincts and ball skills have allowed him to consistently be in the right place when it comes to running passing lanes and diagnosing route combinations.
While he isn’t necessarily known for his ability to stop the run, he is more than capable of doing so, as evidenced by his production in that category over the past three seasons for the Lions, Falcons and Raiders.
In addition to signing Harmon, Cleveland also has a number of internal options available to help limit Rodney McLeod’s damage:
D’Antonio Bell
Bell is currently one of the best special players on the team, especially on the punt and kickoff units.
He is a bigger, boxier safety who is a natural tackler and does a great job against the run while also showing adequate coverage ability.
He started a few games for the Browns in 2022, but has only played 4% of all defensive snaps so far in 2023.
Ronnie Hickman
Hickman is currently in his rookie season after signing with the team as a UDFA following the 2023 NFL Draft.
He has had a very successful and productive preseason with the team, earning him appear on the active 53-man roster for the regular season.
Since signing, he has shown significant improvement in pass coverage and is more than willing to run and make stops.
He has played in 19% of all defensive snaps this season and had a particularly good performance last weekend against Pittsburgh.
What do you think of the Duron Harmon signing? Join other Browns fans in the comments section below.
