Former Alabama safety lands in surprising NFL free agency destination
Free agent safety and Alabama football alum Ronnie Harrison will return to the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha. This year will be Harrison’s third with the franchise after landing with the Browns in 2020 after a two-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Harrison attended Alabama from 2015 to 2017 where he put together a strong career comprised of 174 total tackles, 11 pass break ups, seven interceptions and a touchdown. His three seasons under head coach Nick Saban earned him a third-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft 93rd overall to the Jaguars.
In his past two seasons in Cleveland, Harrison has compiled 96 total tackles (64 solo), 10 pass deflections, two sacks, two interceptions, 10 pass deflections and one touchdown in 23 appearances for the Browns. He improved a 38-tackle season in 2020 to 58 the following year, and looks to continue that trend in year three with the organization.
For some, the highlight of Harrison’s 2021 campaign wasn’t from an impressive interception or tackle, it was an incident involving a Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach after a play during the Browns’ season opener.
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He got into sideline scuffle near the Kansas City sideline, as running back coach Greg Lewis tried to get Harrison off of Clyde Edwards-Helaire by pushing the Browns defender. Harrison was then ejected for what looked like trying to push or throw a punch at a Chiefs coach.
The Alabama product received a $12,128 fine for the shoving match with Lewis, who wasn’t fined by the league but received a warning that any subsequent violations will result in discipline, according to team and league sources at the time.
Harrison wants to put that incident past him, though, and looks to shift his reputation to his play on the field and not his attitude in between plays. 2022 is a make-or-break season for the Browns following the additions of Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper coupled with the exodus of several former top talents like Baker Mayfield and Jarvis Landry.