When Browns GM Andrew Berry held his post-season news conference shortly after the Browns were eliminated from the playoffs mid-January, Berry was asked about adding speed. He then responded, “If I can add speed to every position across the board, I will.” We all know that the Browns have glaring needs at various positions, however, according to Mary Kay Kabot of Cleveland.com, they have their eyes set on at least one guy who would do tremendous work while filling a necessary void.
According to reports, Buccaneers Super Bowl winning Linebacker, Lavonte David is being targeted by the Cleveland Browns. David is fresh off a Super Bowl victory and will command top dollar on the market. Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded him out at 78.8 which was the 4th highest for qualifying Linebackers. What makes David extremely attractive is his speed and cover skills. He finished 2020 with an 83.1 PPF coverage grade (6th) and has four seasons with a grade of at least 83.0. Even at the 30-year-old mark, David has proven to be consistent and has not lost a step. In my opinion, David is everything the Browns would want and desperately need – he’s smart, has speed, and can cover!
Understand this, I do not see Tampa Bay just letting him walk without a fight. Keep in mind, the Bucs have several key Free Agents they need to make decisions on but believe you me David is one of them. David played a huge role in the success of Tampa Bay defense during a back half of the season surge that took the Buccaneers all the way to a Super Bowl Championship. He totaled 26 tackles, 1 sack and 4 pass defenses during the playoff run alone.
Lavonte David will not come cheap, I see him demanding anywhere from 13 to 15 million dollars on the market. I also believe he is well worth it. If David does become available, the Browns should stop at nothing to make sure he is wearing our colors next season.
THE BEONAIR NEWS NETWORK 