Browns Sign Safety Kazee, Swap Thornhill to Steelers

The Cleveland Browns have signed veteran safety Damontae Kazee, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and Atlanta Falcons, to bolster their secondary following the departures of Juan Thornhill and Rodney McLeod. Kazee, who has 17 career interceptions and over 360 tackles, is expected to compete for a key reserve or third safety role alongside Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman. His addition comes after serving suspensions in recent seasons and as the Browns chose not to draft a young safety in 2025, signaling confidence in their current roster. The move effectively swaps safeties between the Browns and Steelers, with Thornhill now playing for Pittsburgh. Kazee's playmaking ability and experience are viewed as valuable assets as the Browns seek to rebound from a 3-14 season and improve their defensive performance. Despite past off-field issues, Kazee's ball-hawking skills are expected to strengthen Cleveland’s safety group.