3 Browns who don’t need to see the field again after disastrous Week 18 performance
By Randy Gurzi
1. Siaki Ika, DT
In need of more depth on the interior of their line, the Browns used their second pick in Round 3 on Baylor nose tackle Siaki Ika. Some were thrilled at the pick due to his sheer size — and recognizable name. Ika played at 357 pounds for Baylor and was seen as a strong run-stuffer but he had questionable athleticism.
He dropped more than 20 pounds for the Scouting Combine, coming in at 335 pounds. That helped him put up better numbers since he was lighter but that led to more concerns. Or at least it should have. Despite shedding the weight, he was at, or near, the bottom of every single drill for defensive linemen.
Cleveland still took the chance but Ika spent much of the season as a healthy scratch. He finally started to get into games when Maurice Hurst was lost for the year but he struggled to make an impact with no stats through his first three appearances. With starters resting in Week 18, he was given more opportunities but failed to impress.
Not only is Ika struggling with athleticism but he can’t win with pure strength at this level the way he did in college. A perfect example of this was seen on a second-quarter scramble from Jake Browning. With pressure coming up the middle, Browning escaped to his right and while every other defensive lineman was closing on the quarterback, Ika was five yards past the line of scrimmage. He did try and get after Browning but never stood a chance and dove several yards shy trying to make a play.
He was also flagged for neutral zone infraction more than once, including when Corey Bojorquez and James Proche had just pinned the offense at the one-yard line. Cincinnati went 99 yards on that drive but were aided by Ika giving them enough room to operate with his jump.
Perhaps Ika will develop over the offseason and become the force in the middle the Browns envisioned. But right now, he’s not ready to play and shouldn’t see the field in the playoffs — if at all possible.
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