5 Cleveland Browns players on the roster bubble heading into OTAs
By Sam Penix
2. LB Malcolm Smith
Like Mack Wilson, Smith is a member of an overcrowded linebacker room. Unlike Wilson, Smith was a valuable member of the rotation. He graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’s top coverage linebackers, and prevented a bad unit from being one of the league’s worst. He’s back on a one-year deal, though he can be cut for just $500k in dead money.
Smith plays the will spot, a role also presumably filled by Jacob Phillips and rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Phillips also has mike versatility, though Anthony Walker is the starter there. JOK did not do linebacker things in college, so there will be a learning curve for him. Smith will start at will, until he doesn’t. He may very well be viewed as insurance for Owusu-Koramoah, but if the rookie takes to his new spot quicker than anticipated, that doesn’t leave much of a reason to keep Smith around.
Even if that isn’t the case, Smith’s role probably won’t be as large as it was in 2020. It will be incredibly difficult to keep JOK off the field, as he provides speed, explosiveness, and coverage ability that the rest of the LB room can only dream of. Smith is the Strip Weathers to Owusu-Koramoah’s Lightning McQueen; it’s only a matter of time until the student succeeds the master.