Browns Potential Landing Spot for Former Pro Bowl Defender

Getty Images Free agent safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

The Cleveland Browns have been named as a potential landing spot for veteran safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

Clinton-Dix is a former first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers and was recently released by the San Francisco 49ers. Bleacher Report named the Browns as a possible landing spot for Clinton-Dix, as well as the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While he’s been a Pro Bowler and even All-Pro in the past, Clinton-Dix did not play all of last year after being released by the Dallas Cowboys prior to the season. Despite that, he’s only 28 years old and could be a solid backup for both safety positions in Cleveland.

John Johnson III is holding down the free safety spot for the Browns, while Ronnie Harrison and Grant Delpit are being relied upon at strong safety. While Both Harrison and Delpit are talented, they both have injury concerns. Harrison has missed nine games in his first three NFL seasons, missing five games last season. Delpit is coming off of a ruptured Achilles and has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury in camp.


Clinton-Dix Received Good Reviews From 49ers

San Francisco ultimately decided not to keep Clinton-Dix on the roster, but he did make a good impact while in camp.

“Ha Ha came in late, but really showed himself in a great fashion and he’s a popular player in this locker room,” 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters. “… That was definitely a tough decision, because he put his best foot forward and I think played at a high level. But we just felt comfortable with the way we did it and we’re hopeful that he joins us again.”

While Lynch is hoping that Clinton-Dix will join the 49ers practice squad but he’ll first evaluate if he can join a 53-man roster somewhere around the league.

Clinton-Dix has 523 tackles in his career to go with 5.5 sacks and 16 interceptions. In his last full season with the Bears he totaled 78 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He received a grade of 52.3 from Pro Football Focus, notching six tackles and an interception.


Browns Roster Situation ‘Fluid’ Heading Into Opener

Much about the Browns roster is fluid heading into Week 1 due to multiple players dealing with injuries. The Browns have already made a few moves to shuffle around pieces and could decide to sign a veteran like Clinton-Dix to bolster their defensive backs.

“It’s the initial 53, it’s not necessarily the final 53,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. “There are certain injury situations, certain position groups where you are still juggling the dynamics over the course of the next several days. It is fluid and it’s not just fluid within this first week. Roster building really is a 365-day-a-year process and it will remain fluid as we head into the regular season as well.”

The Browns kept 10 defensive backs in all on their final roster, including: Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Harrison, Johnson, Troy Hill, Greg Newsome, M.J. Stewart, Delpit, A.J. Green and Richard LeCounte III.

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