3 Defensive position battles to watch at Browns training camp
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns defense has most of their starting spots figured out but that doesn’t mean there aren’t position battles to watch in 2022 training camp
Most of the positions on the Cleveland Browns defense have already been figured out — which is easy to do when most of the starters from the previous season return.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few roles up for grabs and training camp is going to be key in earning those spots. Here, we look at the three most important battles on the defensive side of the ball for Cleveland.
Browns defensive battles at training camp
3. Who will be the MIKE?
Anthony Walker was the primary starting middle linebacker for the Browns in 2021 after coming over as a free agent from the Indianapolis Colts. Walker missed four games but still racked up 113 tackles during his first season in Cleveland.
He wasn’t flashy, but he was effective. Looking ahead to this campaign, he returns on another one-year deal and it was assumed he would be back in the same role. However, that might not be the case.
During OTAs, the Browns were using Jacob Phillips in the middle of the defense and allowing Walker to get some work on the outside.
#Browns saw a lot of Jacob Phillips getting first team reps at MIKE today. Also saw Anthony Walker Jr. getting reps on the outside
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) June 1, 2022
Phillips could arguably be a more explosive player than Walker, but the problem has been with his health. While he has shown plenty of potential when he’s been on the field, Phillips has missed 20 games so far in his career.
In 2021, he was able to suit up for just four games and totaled 17 sacks. For his career, he’s played in just 13 games with 42 tackles and one sack.
Cleveland’s coaching staff really likes his skill set and if he can stay healthy, it could be a battle between him and Walker for the starting MIKE spot.