Ranking and grading every linebacker on the Cleveland Browns ahead of training camp

Positional Grade

Overall I’m not sold on this squad of linebackers at all. The top three guys are fine to very good, but the depth is a real issue. I’m not satisfied with either Jacob Phillips or Tony Fields as the backup linebackers on this squad and would cut both, quite honestly.

I think would give Silas Kelly a shot, and then go get someone cut during the preseason to come in and help shore up the squad. There are 10 players on the current Top 100 2022 NFL free agent list that are still unsigned that fit the job. Alexander Johnson, Anthony Barr, Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, K.J. Wright, Anthony Hitchens, Malcolm Smith, Jaylon smith, Kwon Alexander, and Joe Schobert are all names I’d go after.

Maybe not Collins, but the other nine, yes.

While Anthony Walker and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will start most of the games and paly most of the reps, the team does still run three linebackers at a time, and most of those names, including Barr and Schobert, would easily give Takitaki a run for his money as the third linebacker.

The Browns really need to bolster the dept of this group before the start of the regular season and with the amount of money they have available this year, the team may be able to do just that without worrying too much about next year.

Linebackers: C-