Question: Who Will Start At Safety Opposite T.J. Ward?

This post is the first in a series that will ponder the questions that need to be answered for the Browns whenever the season starts.  Hey, until we know if there will be NFL football this season - we have to talk about something, right?

Abe Elam and T.J. Ward were the starting safeties last season.  Nick Sorensen and Mike Adams were the backups.  This year (depending on the rules that will be used under a new CBA) only Ward and Adams are under contract.  The team drafted Eric Hagg from Nebraska in the 7th round, a guy who was rated anywhere from a 3rd rounder to a 5th rounder by most draft publications.  It would be suprising if Hagg were ready to contribute anywhere but special teams this year - especially with the possible delay of training camp and no OTA's happening. 

Thus, the team is short two safeties - one starter and one backup.  The free agent market may be thin at safety - Buffalo's Donte Whitner has been mentioned as the likely best-case scenario.  Mike Adams is a versatile and consistent player - if unspectacular in terms of athletic talent.  Adams has started at safety and even cornerback when injuries presented the opportunity.  He was impressive in those contests in that he held his own and did not give up big plays. 

The question is....can the team acquire a veteran free agent with more talent than Elam or Adams?  Competition for Whitner or any other starting-caliber safety is likely to be stiff in free agency.  Elam is probably only slightly better than having Adams as a starter, but Elam will likely be seeking a 3 to 4 year deal - making him unattractive to the team in the long term, when Heckert has stated a desire to get younger and faster.  Odds are that if an upgrade cannot be found via free agency, Adams will start this season and some younger, inexperienced players will serve as backups and special-teamers.

The other option would have CB Sheldon Brown shifting to a starting safety position.  That would leave Wright and Haden to hold the starting spots, with Adams possibly playing nickel back, as he has done in the past - or rookie Buster Skrine contributing there as well.  Coye Francies is still on this team - though he has not made any contributions to date.  This move would make the team thin at CB, however, and one injury would throw the whole secondary into a mess. 

Expect safety to be a priority in next year's draft and free agency period, unless Skrine and Hagg make unexpected progress this season.