What should Cleveland Browns do with Christian Kirksey?

The veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey had his season cut short by injury and other players stepped up in his absence. That puts the Cleveland Browns in a tough situation with one of their leaders.

The last two seasons have ended the same way for Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey, he was placed on injured reserve in November 2018 after playing seven games and landed on IR again  after playing just two games in 2019.

Kirksey is good when he is able to stay on the field, he was top-10 in tackles in both 2016 and 2017 when he played all 16 games. But the best ability in the NFL is availability which he hasn’t had recently.

After those two great campaigns Kirksey signed a four-year $38 million contract which is about nine and half million a year which is relatively high for a linebacker. He is due $7.5 million in 2020 and nearly all of that goes back on the cap if the cut Kirksey before June 1.

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There are two very good reasons to keep a guy like Kirksey on the roster; depth and leadership. He has been with Cleveland since 2014 and is among one of the most respected players in the locker room.

When he talks other guys listen and the Browns seemed to be missing that last season when things turned to anarchy at times. Surely he was around the team but your voice doesn’t have as much of an impact when you aren’t on the field.

Although Kirksey may not return to the starting lineup because Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki he can still play valuable snaps coming in relief of the young players. Injuries are inevitable in the NFL so having quality backups is always a good thing.

Wilson, a fifth-round pick from Alabama, started 14 games in Kirksey’s absence and was second on the team with 81 tackles. He seemed to get better with every snap he played. He has a chance to be an impact player for this team and Kirksey could disrupt that by playing well and taking some of his chances.

You can’t account for his impact in the locker room but you can find veteran players to come in and fill that void if Wilson continues on the path he is on now. Also linebackers come NFL ready more than other positions so you can draft depth.

When you consider the amount that is saved on the cap if Kirksey is cut and the fact that the Browns already have a reliable replacement for him it is time to move on from the veteran.

The young players will continue to improve and linebacker isn’t the biggest position of need for Cleveland, assuming they resign Joe Schobert soon, and that cap space can help to add a quality player at another position possibly a big defense tackle to stuff the run or an offensive lineman.

It probably won’t go over well in the locker room either at first but they say that winning is the best medicine so if the W’s start coming you won’t hear much complaining.