March 9, 2018 was a day Browns fans will recall with glory. New GM John Dorsey pawned off turnover-plagued starting QB DeShone Kizer to the Green Bay Packers for defensive back Damarious Randall.
This deal remains one of the hallmark moves of the Dorsey era, and it’s the biggest move he made before his first draft in Cleveland.
Randall, miscast as an outside cornerback by a flailing Packers coaching staff (all of which has now been fired), instantly filled the gaping hole at free safety at the back end of the Browns defense. Randall played great in his first Browns season. Just as important, his sound presence as the coverage-oriented safety allowed Jabrill Peppers to move to the box safety role he’s much better suited to play.
As for Kizer…he did not get better in Green Bay under Aaron Rodgers’ tutelage. He played in three games, with almost all his action coming in the Packers season-ending 31-0 loss to the last-place Lions. He completed less than half his passes (20-for-42) and threw two INTs to zero TDs. As is his custom, he also fumbled once and was sacked four times.
Thank you, John Dorsey!
