While improving the offense is the Cleveland Browns' top priority this offseason, strengthening the defense should also be on the table, and Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington is an affordable free agent who could do just that.
Undrafted out of TCU in 2021, Washington barely played over his first two seasons with the Ravens before being given a significant role ahead of the 2023 campaign. Unfortunately, a chest injury in Week 2 kept him out for essentially the rest of the year. This was after a foot injury that cost him most of his rookie year, and wouldn't be the last time he landed on injured reserve.
Healthy in 2024, Washington helped fill the void left by the departure of Geno Stone, and had a fantastic season for Baltimore. Among all safeties (using the 50% snap qualifier), Washington finished seventh in the NFL in Pro Football Focus overall grade, 16th in zone coverage grade, and first in man coverage grade. That excellent performance earned him a new one-year contract with the Ravens, but a month later, he suffered a torn Achilles while training, which kept him on the sideline until Week 15.
Now an unrestricted free agent heading into his age 28 season, Washington's market value is extremely low. Over the Cap has him valued at just over $1 million, while Spotrac projects him to land a deal paying him in the $1.8 million neighborhood. For reference, Rayshawn Jenkins, Cleveland's third safety in 2025, made just over $1.4 million.