Green Bay Packers to release former 2nd round pick Josh Jones, should be a target for the Browns

The Green Bay Packers intend to release former 2017 second round pick Josh Jones. Jones was picked by a front office that included two current Cleveland Browns personnel and plays a position that is in flux, so it could be a good fit.

The Green Bay Packers have announced their plans to release 2017 2nd round pick Josh Jones. A safety out of N.C. State with a great profile, boasting an excellent combination of size, speed and excellent production, it simply hasn't panned out with the Packers. Combine that with the fact the Packers signed Adrian Amos in free agency and just drafted Darnell Savage in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, there wasn't really a place for Jones.

It's a little interesting that the Packers weren't able to find a trade partner for Jones, but now on the free market, the Browns should have interest. He's got experience at both strong and free safety, has the size to play up in the box and act as an extra linebacker as well as help on special teams.

The Browns just don't have great depth at the safety spot, so it's worth taking a look at Jones. Both Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith were with the Packers when Jones was drafted, so they might like him and have valuable insight. The hope is that the defensive scheme the Browns employ would be a better fit for Jones' talents, but it's worth the risk to see what he could offer here at this point anyway.

The last safety the Browns got from the Packers was Damarious Randall for the low price of DeShone Kizer. He wasn't in their plans for free safety, they had him playing at corner and weren't happy with it, so they moved on. That has been great for the Browns. This could certainly warrant at least a flier.

The only true free safety option currently behind Randall is Sheldrick Redwine, who has struggled a bit in his first training camp, as will happen with a fourth round rookie. Jones might provide some relief there and give them an interesting skill set for the Big Nickel looks Steve Wilks wants to run.

The Browns have very little wiggle room on their roster overall, but safety might be one of the positions that could still be unsettled. Jones doesn't turn 25 until September either, so this could fit in a similar mold as moves like signing Greg Robinson, Breshad Perriman and some other players that didn't find success in their first stops and were far better with the Browns. This certainly seems like it's worth a look with almost two weeks before the season starts.