The Browns face plenty of critical roster decisions this offseason especially on the defensive side of the ball, where a number of players who came to Cleveland on one year deals are set to enter free agency next month.
One such veteran who fits that description is safety Rodney McLeod, who became a vocal leader on defense this past season.
On Monday, McLeod joined the NFL Network's Good Morning Football to take a walk down memory lane following the anniversary of his Super Bowl LIII run with the Eagles, which happened five years this past weekend. Before getting sentimental though, the 33-year-old talked about his season with the Browns, expressing a desire to return to Cleveland next year, even after suffering a season-ending bicep injury.
"At age 33 getting injured is never what we envision and it makes it a little difficult for recovery" McLeod said. "But things are progressing well. Very excited on the latest, what I've been able to do in rehab. We'll see what the future holds. I've got that urge to plug in and hopefully I can make a return with the Browns next season."
The 12-year vet was one of an excessive number of players who finished the season on the IR for the Browns, yet still managed to finish 11-6 and clinch a playoff berth as a wild card team. Unfortunately, the magical run came to an end at the hands of the Houston Texans on Wild Card Weekend, 45-14. While McLeod would have much rather been on the field with his teammates he made the most of the memorable ride.
"We were battle tested I think from Week 2 all the way through," McLeod said. "I think our identity last year was perseverance and that was demonstrated by countless individuals of our team. We're calling guys off the street like Joe Flacco, who was somewhere on his couch, playing backyard football with his kids and now he's throwing for 300 yards and leading us to the playoffs. That's just a testament to the leaders on the team, the coaching staff and the culture that we formed there.
"I think there's a lot to build upon and a lot for us to celebrate despite not ending up in Vegas this upcoming weekend."
Before landing on the IR in Week 11, McLeod compiled 29 total tackles, two for a loss and one pass breakup as a backup safety for Cleveland. McLeod did start five of the 10 games he played in as well and was a crucial voice in the Browns locker room.
It remains to be seen whether or not general manager Andrew Berry and team brass will look to bring back McLeod. At the very least, now they know he has a desire to return in 2024.
More must-reads: