3 tempting free agents Cleveland Browns should avoid signing
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns FA to avoid No. 3 – Anthony Walker
Let me make this clear, I’m not saying to not re-sign Anthony Walker because he is a bad player. The guy had over 110 tackles for the Cleveland Browns in 2021 and only played in 13 games. He was a tackling machine this season, but I’m just not sure he is a guy to bring back.
Walker signed a 3-year deal worth just under $3 million just last offseason, but his contract voids the final two years of the deal. With that lost money, Berry may be tempted to try and recoup it by resigning him for another year or two, but it would need to be at the right price.
Berry needs to focus on keeping Jadeveon Clowney now. Honestly, I don’t care what the asking price is, get it done. A guy like Walker is someone you get if you have the room, but let walk if you need the cap space.
Remember, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jacob Phillips are both on this roster in a defense where only two linebackers are on the field for a majority of the snaps. When a third linebacker is needed, it’s usually just in run support so there isn’t a need for an elite type of player.
The Browns will need some depth if Walker goes, but you can easily get a guy in the third or fourth round to play some snaps next season and let a guy like Sione Takitaki play a bigger role in running situations.