Free-agent cornerback Kevin Barnes has signed a one-year contract with the Browns, the club said Monday.
Barnes, 26, appeared in a pair of games for Detroit last season before being released in September. The Lions acquired him in the preseason from Washington.
Barnes’ most extensive NFL action came with the Redskins, who drafted him in Round Three in 2009. Barnes appeared in 29 games for Washington (three starts), recording 45 tackles and intercepting three passes.
Barnes (6-1, 190) seems likely to compete for a reserve role with Cleveland, with ex-Falcons corner Chris Owens and second-year pros Johnson Bademosi and Trevin Wade among the other candidates for backup spots. Also, third-year cornerback Buster Skrine would figure to be no worse than the third option at the position if the Browns add another starter-caliber corner in free agency or the draft, which would increase the competition for the spots down the depth chart.