5 Cleveland Browns that surprisingly won’t make the Week 1 roster
By Greg Newland
2. Sione Takitaki, Linebacker
One of the more surprising cuts this offseason will come at linebacker. With the additions of Anthony Walker, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tony Fields, and a healthy Jacob Phillips, there is going to be a surprise cut at linebacker.
The three remaining players are Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson, and Malcolm Smith. Look for Wilson and Smith to survive just because of upside and a veteran presence for the locker room. If that’s the case, Takitaki could be the odd man out who started a huge chunk of the 2020 season because of injuries.
Takitaki will likely get another shot in the NFL as a backup, but he just hasn’t cut it for the Browns as a starter. His lack of athleticism is also a bad fit for the Joe Woods 4-2-5 scheme he is looking to run in 2021.
While there was a lot of hope and promise, the Browns have seen enough action on the field to know that it is time to move on. All of the additions this offseason are far more athletic and are far superior in pass coverage, which is becoming so important in today’s NFL game.
The Browns got three solid years out of Takitaki. He played well at times and gave up huge plays at others. There’s no doubt he will get another shot in the NFL, and he could excel as an interior 3-4 linebacker where he doesn’t have to cover as much space.