Iowa defensive back Amani Hooker celebrates after an interception against Illinois. He's a safety prospect the Browns might find a good fit in NFL Draft 2019. (Matthew Holst, Getty Images)

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Lost in the shuffle of trading for Odell Beckham Jr. was the Browns' newfound need to replace strong safety Jabrill Peppers in the heart of the defense.

Peppers will be remembered for struggles in his rookie season, a season that had Peppers learning a new position in a defense littered with personnel problems. To make up for these personnel issues, coordinator Gregg Williams often asked Peppers to play nearly 30 yards off the ball.

The distance between Peppers and the line of scrimmage became a running joke.

The Browns brought in Damarious Randall from Green Bay to play free safety, and it helped move Peppers to a position he felt most comfortable playing. Peppers brought his free-safety experience over to help his play at his most natural position: box safety. Some call it strong safety, and that is suitable, but just know it means a player who plays both close to the line in run support and man-to-man coverage; and in a deep half of the field in zone coverage.

Peppers could do all of those things and had a strong second season in that role.

This, of course, is presuming the Browns think they need to upgrade the position from Derrick Kindred who is currently on the roster. Kindred will be entering his fourth year in the NFL, and has filled the box role of run-stopper quite well when asked--especially in 2017.

Despite a poor year tackling in 2018, Kindred's issues have been consistently winning in coverage in both zone and man schemes throughout his career. The Browns might not want to risk that sort of specialized role from Kindred giving away coverage pre-snap. Balance is needed at the position.

The Browns might look to replace that Peppers-type player who brings balance to the position in new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' blitz-heavy defense.

Let's have a look at some of the best options to replace Peppers in both free-agency and the upcoming draft.

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FREE AGENCY

The Browns have chosen to keep their free-agency aggression in check despite a high amount of cap space. They went aggressively after one player to plug a major hole in the middle of their defensive line with Sheldon Richardson. They also used it to plug some other roster holes with offensive line depth and tight end help.

Given the timing of the OBJ trade, the Browns have had plenty of time to evaluate the safety market and compare it to the upcoming draft in late April. The front office seems to be taking the patient approach.

Here are the best names left to pursue in the coming month.

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Tre Boston (Arizona)

Boston is coming off a season that included 79 tackles and three interceptions.

Over the last two years, one which was spent with the Chargers, he has accrued eight total interceptions. He graded out at 74.1 overall with a 78.2 grade in coverage according to Pro Football Focus. Boston broke out in 2017, but the safety market was tough last year, so he settled for a one-year "prove it" deal with Arizona. He had 10 combined pass break-ups, including three interceptions, on 30 targets.

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In 2017, Boston (No. 33) shows how well he can bring pressure off the edge. Lined up in a two-point stance, he absorbs the tight end chip block and feels the quarterback stepping up into the pocket, where he shifts direction and closes quickly for the sack.

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Boston has traditionally played free safety in his career. He had 594 snaps there while only 194 close to, or in, the box. That doesn't mean he can't play the run from depth. You will see here, aligned bottom of the screen deep, his ability to close quickly and make a tackle in space.

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Boston has edge duties here. Nothing should be able to get outside of him, and that is what he maintains. Russell Wilson pulls the ball in the read-option scheme, and Boston plays it perfectly working inside-out with low hips. He mirrors Wilson and keeps him to just a 1-yard gain.

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Despite Boston being more free safety than strong, it doesn't mean he can't cover the responsibilities. His ability to play in space is a strength. Watch how quickly he closes on this scramble drill to break this pass up. This plays at any position in the secondary.

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Another look at Boston's ability to read routes. Off the play action, aligned at free safety, he reads Stefon Diggs' over route and jumps the ball thrown out in front. Eye discipline is key here.

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Boston shows the box safety ability here. Sent on a blitz, he feels the tipped ball, quickly changes direction, and make a diving effort for one his three interceptions in 2018.

If the Browns covet a player who can play dual roles in the secondary with an ability to excel in two-deep scenarios, Boston is a logical fit. He is connected to Wilks from his time last year in Arizona, and he would be comfortable in the scheme. He is the most logical free-agent fit.

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Eric Berry (Kansas City)

Berry is an enigma. He has played three games in two years due to injuries to an Achilles' in 2017, and a heel in 2018. Berry was one of the league's best safeties for a prolonged period of time in Kansas City, and his story overcoming Hodgkin's lymphoma is the stuff of legend. If Berry is healthy, there is little doubt he can contribute to a team's secondary, and we have seen that over the past few seasons in limited time.

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Much like Tre Boston, Berry is a more natural free safety. In his last full season in 2016, he played 743 snaps at free safety and 173 in the box. He is most comfortable in two-high looks as we see here. He reads Matt Ryan's eyes here and jumps the shallow cross for a returned conversion attempt.

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Berry is aligned in two-deep overage at the bottom of the screen, No. 29, and watch as he squats on the quarterback's eyes. He feels the over route coming to his right, and he patiently plays the angle to get his hands on the ball when the route crosses his face. He finishes the play for a return touchdown.

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Although Berry is comfortable deep, he can play in the box well enough. Watch here as he is aligned as the primary edge support at the bottom of the screen and he takes on the much bigger lineman trying to drive/reach him. He shrugs the lineman off with a subtle shoulder dip, and finishes the play with an impact hit on Cam Newton to create a tackle for loss. This would play well holding down an edge in run support.

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The Chiefs as recently as 2017 trusted Berry to work against the team's most dangerous threat. He was given one-on-one responsibilities with Rob Gronkowski and held his own for most of the evening. He mirrors well with active and quick feet. Berry is strong enough to cover tight ends in man coverage and quick enough to work against wide receivers in space as well.

Should the Browns choose to go the route of bringing on Berry, it will largely be due to his connection to Browns general manager John Dorsey. Berry is only 30, and Dorsey knows how valuable a player like Berry can be on the right contract. Berry can still play well when healthy and brings a veteran leadership that won't be found anywhere else on the market this offseason.

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Jahleel Addae (Los Angeles Chargers)

Now we turn to the ideal fits for the role. Addae has been a constant presence in the box-safety position for the Chargers in his six years, where he started 59 of 80 games played, recorded two interceptions, forced three fumbles and tallied 4.5 sacks. Addae played more free safety than box safety in 2018, but that still included 236 box snaps, as the Chargers played Addae all over the field. He played 475 box snaps in 2017, so the position is one he is comfortable occupying.

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Addae can hold an edge well and he can rush off the edge with effectiveness. He is brought off the edge here to Wilson's right, quickly works past the running back in protection with a club move and gets a key sack. This is exactly the role he can bring to Cleveland.

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He does it to Wilson again here. Off play action, Addae throttles down on the backside of the play, where he has contain responsibilities, and uses athleticism to keep Wilson from getting rid of the ball quickly with a jump, then tracks him off the spin move for the near sack and intentional grounding.

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Addae is tasked with covering the back out of the backfield. He approaches down from deep coverage and makes a big hit on the back for a loss. This is something Wilks asks from his safeties often.

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With the game on the line against Seattle, you will see the athleticism that helps Addae succeed on Sundays. Covering a crossing route, Addae is aware enough to get a hand on a ball intended for the man behind him. The tip causes an incompletion that helps the Chargers win on the final play.

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Addae can also play deep-coverage safety as well. He is playing the slot bender route up the seam, but redirects his attention to make a play on the ball for an interception and return.

The Browns could decide that their best route is a player who can bounce around multiple positions, sure, but they also might feel they need that guy who can primarily be a box player, and Addae can do that.

He moved deeper in the Chargers' secondary when first-round pick Derwin James excelled in that box role in 2018, but it doesn't mean he can't do it.

At 29, Addae has plenty of good years left and he can be the leader the group needs. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn noted when the franchise decided to move on from Addae just how valuable he was in his time there, calling him a hard worker, a great mentor and a leader, as well as a high-character player.

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Clayton Geathers (Indianapolis)

Like Addae, here's another player who can handle multiple safety positions but is most comfortable working close to the line of scrimmage.

Geathers is younger -- he will play 2019 at 27 -- but he has an injury history. Geathers has only played one full season, but his most impactful was 2018. In 12 games, he had 89 tackles, two pass break-ups, and one forced fumble. His impact was felt in the run game, where he contributed 24 stops (tackles that constitute a "loss" for the offense), according to Pro Football Focus.

Geathers played 297 snaps in the box last year and he can provide even more if his role is specialized like it would be in Cleveland. If the Browns want a player known to provide more run support than coverage, they can find that in Geathers.

They have to decide if his play provides an upgrade to Peppers' current replacement on the roster, Derrick Kindred, as the skill sets might overlap. If Dorsey and Wilks think Geathers provides a coverage upgrade to Kindred, this signing would make sense.

UPDATE: Geathers has since re-signed with Indianapolis as of Wednesday evening.

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THE 2019 DRAFT

Even if the Browns bring in a veteran safety, they still should draft one. This class is loaded with immediate NFL players who have the versatility to play the box-safety role, play in space, and also align deep in coverage if need be.

There are several options the Browns could trust to start immediately if they want to hold off from bringing on more salary with a veteran. With the 49th pick, and seven more behind it, safety will be very much in play for the Browns with the value aligning well.

Let's take a look at the best options, along with where each player is projected to go in the draft.

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Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (Florida)

At the top of the safety class is a special player who can play deep in coverage or provide that run support from the box or edge. He had 71 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and four interceptions in his junior season and was often found all over the three levels of the defense. Let's take a look at what makes Gardner-Johnson perhaps the top overall safety in the class.

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This play was next-level. Gardner-Johnson is initially responsible for covering the slot, but he passes him off when the receiver runs up the opposite hash. Gardner-Johnson then reads the quarterback's eyes to feel him working to the post route behind him. He shows quick and fluid hips to turn in space and find the football for the interception.

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Covering the slot here, Gardner-Johnson defeats this block with speed as he bursts past the receiver's blocks and shoots through the quarterback's legs for the tackle for loss.

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Again aligned over the slot, watch Gardner-Johnson deliver with power as he drives the blocking receiver into the running back on the swing screen for the tackle. He plays with unmatched physicality at times.

Gardner-Johnson is an exceptional zone defender whether it's single high or split zones, and that is something the Browns might covet. He features the physical traits vital to mirroring routes in man coverage -- whether against slot players or tight ends -- and excels near the line of scrimmage in a box-defender role. He is likely the highest safety on many teams' draft boards.

If the Browns want him, they might have to move up.

Projected round: Late first, early second.

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Juan Thornhill (Virginia)

The Browns value athleticism, and that is something Thornhill can provide. Thornhill had 98 tackles, four tackles for loss, and six interceptions in his senior season at Virginia. Thornhill has a history spent at boundary corner (playing on the narrower side of the field closest to the sideline at the snap), so he has the experience in coverage that is valuable.

Let's take a look at what makes Thornhill an ideal option.

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Thornhill is playing closer to the line of scrimmage here, but when he reads pass, he immediately seeks out the threat to his left and makes a play high-pointing this fade route. It's rare to see a safety creeping toward the box make a play on a fade down the sideline. Thornhill can cover ground quickly.

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Although he has the more natural skill-set and body type for free safety, Thornhill can play as a run-support defender off the edges. Watch as he perfectly plays the option here to force the quarterback to pitch and quickly closes on the back for a tackle for loss.

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Another example of just how athletic Thornhill can be. He is aligned outside the tackle box to the left side of the defense and he reads the option, sprints with a precise angle to defeat second-level blocks and explodes through the ball carrier's legs.

Thornhill has that ability to make plays in space when asked to help against the run, but also deep in coverage. His NFL combine performance showed one of the most explosive players in the draft with a 4.42 40-yard dash and a vertical jump that nearly broke the combine record at 44 inches. Thornhill's athleticism will play somewhere on Sundays. The Browns could use it.

Projected round: Early to mid second round.

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Taylor Rapp (Washington)

If the Browns covet someone who can play in the box, with exceptional run-stopping ability, then Rapp is the name to keep an eye on. Rapp had 58 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions in his junior year.

Let's take a look at some of his tape.

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Pay attention to how quickly Rapp can close from the box or covering the slot. He also makes plays in space with low hips that rarely see him getting beat via missed tackles. He plays at a different speed than most on the Washington defense.

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The Browns asked Peppers to blitz from depth often, and Rapp can do that well. What makes it work is his closing speed and the ability to find uncovered rush lanes. He closes from 10 yards off the line of scrimmage to make this play happen deep in the backfield.

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Rapp isn't known for his coverage skills, and when Washington asked him to play deep, whether single-high or in two-deep, he didn't make enough splash plays. His ball skills aren't the best, but he did put some good reps on film. Covering the slot here, Rapp drives on the dig route from depth to make a clean pass break-up.

Rapp has great burst in short agility drills, which shows he can quickly change direction and impact in short areas, and he is explosive in the necessary testing - broad jump and vertical - to match the tape.

His muscular and compact frame at 6-foot and 220 pounds allows him to absorb blocks and fight through them with a mixture of power and quickness. He can certainly bring an impact near the line of scrimmage, and in limited coverage requirements. This might be the ideal answer to the Browns need if they feel he can play deep when asked to in open coverage situations.

Projected round: Mid to late second round.

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Amani Hooker (Iowa)

This might just be the guy for the Browns. Hooker, who is the cousin of former Buckeye and current Colt Malik Hooker, can do the two jobs the Browns need with a precise skill set. He can play the Cover-2 safety role, all while being able to come down into the box with his 6-0, 210-pound frame to make an impact in the running game. He is the ideal fit for the modern NFL strong side safety role.

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In Cover-3 (three deep defenders), Hooker, playing the bottom of the screen hash and wearing No. 27, baits the Illinois quarterback into thinking he is covering the flat, and has the athleticism to get back inside to play the curl and make an athletic, extending interception.

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We get a feel for Hooker's ability closer to the line with these two clips. In the first, Hooker comes off the edge on a rush toward the bottom of the screen and zips past the right tackle with ease to make the play in the backfield. In the second, Hooker is playing the slot, maintains the outside shoulder for contain and then closes quickly when the runner commits to his course. Textbook work on both.

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Lastly, Hooker shows the ball skills. In the first clip he reads the corner route in Cover-2 and undercuts the throw with precision for the interception. In the second clip, he is lined up over the slot and perfectly baits the quarterback into thinking he is beat, as his patience and closing speed are on display, undercutting the slant for a pick six.

Hooker has a knack for the big play. He made them over the course of his Iowa career. He had 65 tackles, three for loss, one sack, and four interceptions in his junior year.

His combine performance featured the type of speed and explosiveness necessary, while having elite change-of-direction numbers in the short shuttle and three-cone drills. He has the ability to be a game changer in the hybrid role in the right defense seeking a Cover-2 player who can come down in the box and stop the run game when the defense prefers single high or blitz packages. His IQ will translate into immediate playing time in the NFL.

Projected round: Late second, early third.

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Darnell Savage Jr. (Maryland)

Savage is a high-ceiling player who can do multiple things and do them fast. Savage was a three-year starter at Maryland and his senior season ended with 52 tackles, five tackles for loss and four interceptions. He can align as part of a two-deep safety set with comfort, but he can also play the box-safety role and set a contain edge in the run game when he is asked.

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Savage is the deep safety to the bottom of the screen here, He quickly diagnoses the speed out route from the No. 2 receiver in the formation, closes quickly, and negates this play.

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The JET and FLY sweeps are becoming more popular in the NFL, as they are in college, and watch how Savage handles this one. He is the deep safety toward the bottom of the screen. He reads the sweep and shoots downhill with quick athleticism and closing speed to blow this play up in the backfield.

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We get a feel for Savage's zone coverage feel here. He is rolling down over No. 3 here in this Cover-3 look. He reads Dwayne Haskins' eyes and reacts quickly to jump the hitch by the No. 2 receiver, and get a hand on the ball that eventually leads to an interception touchdown.

Savage tested really well at the combine. He showed elite flat-line speed with a 4.36 40-yard dash, then showed the explosion necessary with a 39.5-inch vertical and 126-inch broad jump.

He is an elite athlete who plays with solid instincts.

At 5-11 and 200 pounds, he might be a bit small for the box-safety role, but he has shown he can handle it at the college level and has shown solid ball skills when in deep coverage. He takes precise angles to the football, has outstanding range and is a clean processor.

If the Browns bring in a veteran and let Savage learn slowly while playing special teams -- and excelling at them -- he might be a great fit in Round 3.

Projected round: Mid to late third.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

The Browns have finally found themselves in a position of luxury on draft night. They don't have those important positions with dire needs going into a season. They have solved quarterback, wide receiver, defensive end and corner. They have big-time players at those positions of value and they can now focus on those types of roles that fill out a championship roster.

Your defense doesn't necessarily need an elite box safety to be successful, but it sure helps. Luckily for the Browns, it's not the type of position teams draft high in the first round, so the Browns have a fair chance to get a player of that ability come pick 49, or into the third or fourth round.

The free-agent safety market has some names the Browns will consider, and rightfully so. But should they choose to pursue only the draft for the need, they will find this class is full of safeties who can really play, and some who can make that immediate impact.

The Browns are fortunate that their need aligns well with the draft position they hold in the second round. It's always easier to fill those less important roster needs, and the Browns will get tested on building a championship roster with the auxiliary pieces instead of the biggest names, which is a welcome change for the franchise.

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Jake Burns played quarterback at the collegiate level and also has coached at both the high school and college levels. You can read more X&O analysis from Burns at the OBR.

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