PHOENIX — With Jabrill Peppers off to bluer pastures, Browns GM John Dorsey has reached out to the agents for unrestricted free agent safeties Eric Berry and Tre Boston.
“I think they’re both really good football players who we’ve had discussions with their representatives and that’s where we are right now,’’ said Dorsey.
He hasn’t set up visits yet with either, but could do so soon.
“I’ll wait until we get back from these meetings and we’ll kind of reshuffle the deck,’’ he said. “I’ll get everybody in a room and we’ll talk about the possibilities and see if we’re going to do something like that moving forward.’’
Berry’s agent, Chad Speck, confirmed he’s talked to Dorsey "but that’s really the extent of it at this time.''
Berry, 30, spent four years with Dorsey in Kansas City when he was GM there from 2013-16. But the nine-year Chiefs veteran was released March 13 despite a resume that includes five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections.
Berry was also an inspiration to the team when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 and returned to the field in 2015, only to return to All-Pro and Pro Bowl status.
But Berry has been limited to only three games over the past two seasons because of injuries: a ruptured Achilles in 2017 and a heel injury last season.
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As for Boston, 26, he played for Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks for three seasons in Carolina, where he was a fourth-round pick in 2014 out of North Carolina. Furthermore, Wilks was his position coach at the time so knows him extremely well.
Profootballfootballfocus.com has Boston currently ranked as its fourth-best remaining free agent, and gave him a top-20 coverage ranking in each of the past two seasons, including last year with the Cardinals. Boston is a free safety, but can also play the strong spot vacated by Peppers.
“There are still some opportunities there,’’ Dorsey said of the safety spot. “We have guys on this team who have started at that position and will compete. We’re trying to add competition and that’s what we’re going to do.’’
Dorsey said cornerback T.J. Carrie has the flexibility to play safety and so do others on the team.
As for backup strong safety Derrick Kindred, Dorsey was non-committal in regards to him replacing Peppers.
“I really thought in ’17 he played really well as a football player and in ’18 he didn’t play as good as he played on the ’17 level but he played good enough to contribute,’’ said Dorsey. “Right now, I’m excited to see him when he gets back here in OTAs.’’
With about $35 million left in cap space, Dorsey acknowledged he must spend wisely on free agents, and seems to be leaning now towards one-year prove-it deals.
“You have to be very selective and you’ve got make it a club-friendly deal moving forward,’’ he said. “By no means do you want to diminish the skillset. You still want good football players but you also have to be cognizant of ’20 and ’21.’’
Fortunately for Dorsey, it’s a good draft for defensive backs.
“I think there’s depth at cornerback,’’ he said. “There’s more than usual depth at the safety position this year.’’
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