Browns Draft Bust Officially Moving on After Four Seasons

The Cleveland Browns will likely need to add more linebacker depth during the 2024 NFL Draft after seeing one of their former draft picks signed elsewhere on Monday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Houston Texans signed former Cleveland Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips to a one-year deal. 

The former third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft had a lot of promise coming out of LSU but has struggled to stay on the field. Phillips missed a significant amount of time in 2021 and ‘22 because of a biceps and pectoral injury that forced him on injured reserve.

The former LSU standout suffered another pectoral injury in the 2023 preseason that caused him to go on injured reserve and miss the entire season.

Phillips only played in 20 games across four years with Cleveland. This past season with the Browns, the 25-year-old linebacker had 46 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, two QB hits, two interceptions, and a pass deflection in seven games (four starts).

The former LSU linebacker also played 72 percent of defensive (career-high) and 20 percent of special teams snaps. Phillips will try to stay healthy with the Texans this season and prove that he’s not a bust after being drafted in the third round.

Meanwhile, the Browns will likely try to fill Phillips’ spot on the roster in the draft as they need depth behind starters Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jordan Hicks, and Devin Bush. Cleveland has no first-round picks but has six selections between Rounds 2-7.

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