The Cleveland Browns will have one less player in the locker room next season.
Veteran safety Rodney McLeod had already announced that this would be his final campaign in the league, and that stance hasn’t changed one bit.
Notably, Ken Carman and Anthony Lima tried to convince him to run it back for a little longer, believing he still had something left in the tank.
McLeod, however, has already made up his mind (via 92.3 The Fan).
#Browns safety @Rodney_McLeod4 has four games left in his NFL career. @KenCarman and @SportsBoyTony tried their best to talk him out of retirement 🏈➡️ pic.twitter.com/0YBKosBqL8
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 10, 2024
The veteran claimed that as much as he appreciates the compliments, the body doesn’t feel the same way, so it’s time to ride into the sunset.
Truth be told, as good a player as McLeod is, he’s right on point there.
If anything, the Browns need to get younger, not older.
The Deshaun Watson trade prevented this team from replenishing its roster with young players, and that’s going to be a major area of concern over the next couple of years as the roster keeps aging.
The team always knew that McLeod’s impact would be short-lived.
Since arriving in Cleveland, he’s been a strong presence and voice in the locker room, and the team should be very thankful to him.
As for prolonging his career a little longer, he’s earned the right to walk away from the game on his own terms, and that’s not something that many of his colleagues can also brag about.
It’s been a good ride.
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