Name: Tre Boston
School: North Carolina
Height: 6-0
Weight: 204 pounds
Tre Boston will be entering free agency as a 27-year-old, six-year veteran who is still a starting-caliber safety but is a player most teams will want to upgrade from after a year.
He was drafted in 2014 out of North Carolina in the 4th round by the Carolina Panthers. Boston was limited his rookie season due to injury, but still saw time in 11 games and even started five. He was slated to start in 2015, but was beat out by Kurt Coleman. Boston still saw time in every game and started one. In 2016, Boston was announced the starter opposite of Coleman and saw time in 15 games and started 10. Carolina decided to waive Boston before the 2017 season.
Boston was picked up by the Los Angeles Chargers before the 2017 season and beat out Dwight Lowery for the starting free safety gig. He started 15 games and saw time in all 16. After completing his one year contract with Los Angeles, Boston moved onto the Arizona Cardinals for 2018 and formed a solid safety duo with Antoine Bethea. Boston played in 14 games and started in 13. In 2019, Boston returned to Carolina and started every game at free safety and had great showings, but also some very bad contests as well.
Strengths:
Boston is a big safety with ideal ball skills, as evidenced by his three interceptions last season. He has enough athleticism to even play cornerback if needed. He is not only a ballhawk but a terror against the run with surprisingly good hand usage when shedding blocks and great strength to lay the smackdown on ball carriers. Boston is only 27 years old and still has the speed to close quickly.
Weaknesses:
Boston is terribly inconsistent. He looks like a dominant star one game and an absolute liability the next. Although he is a proven starting-caliber safety, Boston would fit best in a reserve role or rotational piece on the back-end. Although he is only 27 and currently in his athletic prime, Boston has reached his ceiling and is only an average player. Boston has better instincts in coverage than verse the run.
Overall:
Boston is an inexpensive option that should be explored by the Cleveland Browns considering their defensive backfield is expected to have a few meaningful departures. He signed a one year $3 million dollar contract with Carolina last season and he should be in the same ball park this off-season. Boston should not be looked at as the answer for the defensive backfield, but he could be a solid and experienced addition.
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