It turns out when Vic Fangio expressed his desire to upgrade the range and versatility of his nickel and dime personnel at the NFL Combine, he really meant it. In adding Mark Barron the defense will have a former safety turned backer. His range and athleticism will be a noticeable upgrade on Josey Jewell, Todd Davis, and Alexander Johnson’s.
This alone will not make him an upgrade on the current roster. Joining the team this late in training camp puts Mark Barron behind the curve on learning the playbook.