Cleveland Browns defensive tackle shaping up to be a dawgfight

Malik Jackson

Malik Jackson would be the oldest defensive tackle in the room if journeymen Damian Square weren’t around. Square was signed as a potential depth piece whereas the Browns expect Jackson to be a starter.

Jackson has been one of the most versatile disrupters during his time in the NFL, but over the last three, some questions have been raised.

Back in 2018, he was benched in Jacksonville for a younger player. Jackson claims he was only told he wasn’t defending the run well enough to continue starting and to ask the coaches. It was more likely that with the Jags heading nowhere, they were getting a look at younger guys.

In 2019 Jackson played in only one game after suffering a Lisfranc injury that ended his season. The Eagles had given Jackson a three-year $30 million contract in hopes of adding to an already dominant line. Jackson would get back on the field in 2020.

Last season, the veteran played in15 games and made six starts. He put up 28 total tackles, 21 pressures, six tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks on the year. With 538 snaps on defense, Jackson seems to be handling life after the Lisfranc injury fairly well.

Now at 30-years of age, with what most would call two down years wrapped around a major injury, questions abound if he can get back to what he was. If Jackson can even get close to the player he was pre-injury, it will be hard for offenses to stop him, Myles Garrett, Jadaveon Clowney, and the rest of the defensive line from spending a lot of time in the offensive backfield.

Jackson is definitely a veteran to watch.