Browns safety wants LeBron James back in Cleveland, but not in role people might think

LeBron James

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod Jr. made a pitch to  Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James to return to Cleveland — but not on the basketball court — in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson.

“There’s certain individuals that they can do it all,” McLeod said when asked if James could transition to the NFL. “They can do whatever they want. And LeBron is definitely one of those guys that I have the utmost confidence in that if he was to make the transition to the football field, he would succeed.”

McLeod brought up some key characteristics of James that would translate to the football field, mentioning his work ethic, strength, durability, athleticism and that the Lakers star has a little bit of “ruggedness” to him.

“I’ve seen the transition made and guys like Jimmy Graham be able to take what they learned on the basketball court and bring it onto the grass and do it in a big way,” McLeod said of basketball players playing in the NFL.

McLeod was then asked by Robinson if the Browns could use the four-time NBA champion on their roster.

“We could use somebody to compliment [David] Njoku over there for sure,” McLeod said of James possibly playing for the Browns. “You could never have enough. I would say it’s good to have a great tandem. The only problem is, I’m not sure if LeBron is actually ready to take on a guy like a Myles Garrett just yet, put his hand in the dirt. So, we’re going to have to save LeBron for third downs, red zone, passing situations. So, there might be some tells on offense, but it’ll be worth it.”

While it’s highly unlikely that James would leave the NBA to pursue an NFL career at this point in his life, it is fun for fans to wonder what he could do if he were on a football field.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has a massive frame that would make him a great target for jump balls and contested catches in the NFL. Still, he’d have to get used to taking the hits and punishment that football players go through each and every season.

James could become a free agent this offseason, as he has a player option for the 2024-25 season. If he were to opt out, he would become an unrestricted free agent. However, the Lakers reportedly are operating as if he will return to the franchise in the 2024-25 campaign.

A 20-time All-Star, James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from deep in the 2023-24 regular season. The four-time NBA Finals MVP also played at a high level in the playoffs, averaging 27.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game across five games.

McLeod’s pitch to the Lakers superstar was solid, but it may take a lot more than that for James to ever truly consider playing a down in the NFL.