Browns Sign Safety Karl Joseph
Andrew Berry, new Browns general manager, has added quite a haul to the Browns in the early days of free agency. While the star-studded additions have been tight end Austin Hooper and right tackle Jack Conklin, strong safety Karl Joseph has flown under the radar.
Joseph, who played strong safety for the Raiders the last four seasons, signed a one year deal with the Browns. He was a mid-first round pick in 2016. Joseph is especially good against the rush, receiving a grade of 82.2 by Pro Football Focus(PFF) when he was lined up inside the box, compared to his overall rating of 69.9. His passing defense was also strong in 2019, breaking up a pass in the end zone to help the Raiders beat the Lions, before picking off Philip Rivers to seal a win against the Chargers in back-to-back weeks.
Joseph provides some much-needed help at the safety position, as the Browns had released Morgan Burnett, while Eric Murray and Justin Burris signed with new teams in free agency.
Joseph also has experience facing running quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, seeing as he has been in the same division as Patrick Mahomes for the past couple of seasons.
Joseph has had difficulties staying on the field, not having played a full 16 games at any point in his career and only playing more than 13 games one time. He broke his hand on the previously mentioned interception, leading him to play in just nine games last season.
If Joseph can stay healthy, he can be a force in the box and bring his veteran knowledge to the Browns secondary. He can be a great addition to the Browns and help them improve in 2020.
