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Why the Cleveland Browns Defense can be ELITE in 2021

By Noah Weiskopf

BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Sione Takitaki #44 and Jacob Phillips #50 of the Cleveland Browns huddle with other members of the defense during training camp on August 16, 2020 at the Cleveland Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Sione Takitaki #44 and Jacob Phillips #50 of the Cleveland Browns huddle with other members of the defense during training camp on August 16, 2020 at the Cleveland Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Anthony Walker, Cleveland Browns
Jul 29, 2021; Berea, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns middle linebacker Anthony Walker (4) catches a pass during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns Linebackers

The Browns linebacking core was widely regarded as the weak point of this team’s defense in 2020.

Heading into last season, the Browns were hoping Mack Wilson would take a big jump into his second year. Unfortunately for him, he suffered a hyperextended knee in training camp and Wilson didn’t return until Week 3 against the Washington Football Team. After returning, he just didn’t seem like himself for the remainder of the season.

With a lot of inexperience at the position throughout last season, the one guy who was a consistent leader on the field and in the locker room was former Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith. Smith resigned with the Browns this offseason but the team was still looking for another veteran to play in the middle.

The Browns went out and signed Anthony Walker in free agency. Walker is exactly what the Browns were looking for in the middle of their defense. A smart, tough leader who can unite not only a position room but an entire locker room.

Last season, Walker was the signal-caller for a stout Indianapolis Colts defense. Walker’s former teammates Darius Leonard and Kenny Moore let out to Twitter to express their disappointment when they found out Walker was heading to Cleveland.

https://twitter.com/dsleon45/status/1372962163783008263?s=20

Leonard followed this tweet with a series of other tweets. One said, “Crazy to see such an amazing person, leader, player and a friend leave a locker room!” Another said, “If y’all actually understood the impact he has on a locker room!”

Colts defensive back Kenny Moore then followed Leonard and expressed his gratitude toward Walker and his presence in the locker room.

The Browns were not done upgrading the position after free agency. The team then went on to trade up and draft Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The organization was pumped to get him in the second round as many viewed him as a first-round talent.

JOK was then placed on the COVID-19/reserve list to start training camp which caused him to fall a bit behind. Luckily, he was still able to join team meetings virtually.

In the team’s first preseason game on Saturday night against the Jaguars, you would not have realized that he had missed any time though. He was flying around the field and making plays all night.

The future is pretty bright at linebacker for the Browns with guys like Jacob Phillips, Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson, and JOK learning the game from a sound, reliable veteran in Anthony Walker and a former Super Bowl MVP in Malcolm Smith.

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