Grant Delpit’s name is the kind that can start a few phone calls before the trade deadline, especially when a contract situation hangs in the air. The Browns have every reason to keep the safety in Cleveland, but with no new deal in place and Myles Garrett no longer on the roster after last month’s trade, Delpit’s future is suddenly a little easier for other teams to imagine.
He also didn’t take part in team drills during spring workouts. That doesn’t automatically mean he wants out, but it does leave room for speculation, and speculation is usually where trade buzz begins. For teams looking for help at safety, Delpit could be one of the more interesting names to monitor.
The problem for anyone trying to pry him loose is simple: the safety market usually doesn’t explode. Still, there are a few contenders that could have a real reason to check in before this year’s deadline.
The Indianapolis Colts stand out first. They moved on from Nick Cross this offseason, which left a clear hole at strong safety.
Indianapolis did spend a third-round pick on A.J. Haulcy, and he has the tools to help soon, but asking a rookie to handle that kind of responsibility right away comes with obvious risk.
If Haulcy isn’t ready after training camp, Delpit would make sense as a short-term answer in the final year of his contract.
Kansas City is another team that could be in the mix. The Chiefs remade their secondary this offseason, with Brian Cook leaving for the Cincinnati Bengals and Steve Spagnuolo expected to lean on Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks at strong safety.
That setup may not be enough for a team with Super Bowl goals. If the Chiefs stumble early, they could get aggressive, and a defense that already got plenty of investment this offseason still looks like it could use another enforcer in the box.
Then there’s Philadelphia, where the fit is easy to see. Vic Fangio and the Eagles took a hit when they lost defensive back coach Christian Parker.
Bringing in Riq Woolen pushed Cooper DeJean into the slot, and while that move might work out, safety remains a concern. Andrew Mukuba was inconsistent as a rookie, and Marcus Epps isn’t a starting-caliber strong safety.
The Eagles like to control games up front, so adding a run-stopping safety like Delpit would line up with how they want to play. There’s also a front-office connection here, since Andrew Berry has strong ties to Philadelphia, with Howie Roseman serving as a longtime mentor and Berry’s brother, Adam, now working as Roseman’s assistant GM.
Even with those possible landing spots, Cleveland still should be aiming to keep Delpit. An extension makes more sense than a trade, especially because safeties usually don’t bring back huge returns.
And with Ronnie Hickman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also in the building, the Browns would be creating more problems than they solve by moving him. Unless Delpit is the one pushing for an exit, there’s no real reason for Cleveland to rush this.
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