Category: 2021 NFL Free Agency

Takk McKinley’s mysterious absence continues

An absence that started with an illness has become an absence for personal reasons with an unknown time that it will come to an end.

Last year, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry attempted to acquire defensive end Takk McKinley numerous times but was unable to do so. Instead, the Browns signed McKinley quickly this offseason.

At the time, McKinley was seen as the team’s edge rusher passer across from Myles Garrett. The team added Jadeveon Clowney later in the offseason to create a solid rotation.

McKinley left practice on July 30th with an illness and has not returned to practice since. Little has been known about the nature of his illness but updates pointed toward his return shortly.

Until Saturday when head coach Kevin Stefanski’s timeline changed:

 

That the coach is “hopeful” the defensive end will return in time for the start of the season does not mean he would be ready to return to the field by Week 1. Instead, Cleveland will plan for starting the season with Garrett, Clowney, Porter Gustin, Curtis Weaver and, perhaps, Joe Jackson at the position.

It is unknown if McKinley’s continued absence for personal reasons is related to his illness or if the two issues just overlapped. McKinley is no longer found on social media at this time.

We will continue to update that the absence as more information becomes available.

Browns try out several free agents at training camp

The Cleveland Browns had 5 free agents in for a tryout on Thursday

Browns general manager Andrew Berry continues to deliver on his promise of aggressively searching for talent. Berry and the Browns gave official tryouts to five free agents, per the NFL’s transaction wire.

The players who were in Berea for a tryout:

  • Thomas Leggett, S
  • Corey Taylor, RB
  • Ryan Willis, QB
  • Marlon Williams, WR
  • Ben Putnam, WR

None of the players have ever taken an NFL snap, and all but Willis are undrafted rookies. The Browns did not immediately sign any from the quintet.

Anthony Walker, not John Johnson III, to call defensive plays for Browns

When John Johnson III was signed there was thought he’d be the defensive play-caller (green dot) on the field instead it will be another free-agent addition, Anthony Walker.

The signing of John Johnson III was seen as one of the best decisions in free agency. The Cleveland Browns needed a talented, veteran to man the backend of their defense and Johnson is one of the best in the league.

Shortly after his signing, it was noted that he was the defensive play-caller on the field for the Los Angeles Rams. That role, also called the player with the “green dot” for the sticker placed on their helmet, is the quarterback of the defense.

With a variety of new starters and his ability to stay on the field for every play, it was expected that the Browns would also use Johnson in this role. Instead, Johnson shared today that fellow free-agent addition Anthony Walker will take that role:

 

It is commonplace for a linebacker to hold that distinction as they can communicate best to all levels of the defense from the middle of the formation. For Walker, known for his leadership, it is a chance to prove his worth in Cleveland after signing a one-year deal.

The decision to put Walker in this role also indicates that defensive coordinator Joe Woods sees him as a three-down player. Walker hasn’t been a full-time three-down linebacker so far in his career but some of that could be due to the presence of Darius Leonard in Indianapolis.

With Walker seemingly entrenched at one starting linebacker position, the rest of the Browns linebackers will fight for the other. Jacob Phillips and Malcolm Smith may have a leg up on rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah due to their experience in the system last year and Owusu-Koramoah missing the start of camp due to COVID-19 restrictions.

A free agent signing will be calling the defense on the field, just not the one many expected. Get used to seeing a lot of #4 (Walker’s new number) on the field a lot for the Cleveland defense.

John Johnson III a top 10 safety with “Intangibles (that) are second to none”

On the field and off the field, John Johnson III is recognized as being on the best safeties in the league.

The signing of John Johnson III this offseason was a huge statement by the Cleveland Browns. While many wondered how the team would build on their successful 2020 season, the Browns first move was, perhaps, the biggest move of the entire offseason in the NFL.

With Johnson in the fold, the Browns then added his former teammate in Troy Hill to continue the secondary overhaul that was much needed. Instead of resting on the laurels of 2020 and hoping the potent offense and expected development of young guys on defense would help, the Browns went big in free agency.

Takk McKinley, Anthony Walker, Malik Jackson and Jadeveon Clowney soon followed Johnson and Hill in signing in Cleveland.

It is Johnson that is the lynchpin, cornerstone of the offseason for the Browns. His leadership along with his ability to play a myriad of positions and roles will be invaluable to defensive coordinator Joe Woods.

ESPN, as they continue to rank players based on a survey of players, coaches and executives, have Johnson among their top 10 safeties this year after not ranking him the previous:

Johnson made more top-10 ballots than all but six safeties, thanks to his play with the Rams that earned an 85.6 Pro Football Focus rating last season.

As noted in the article title it wasn’t just his on the field play that was noted as excellent:

“Intangibles are second to none,” an AFC coach said. “He can run the show for a defense, great tackler. He brings a calmness to a defense and is a fearless competitor.”

Some great buzzwords that have permeated talk about Johnson since he came over to the team, the Browns believe all of them to be true.

As the #8 safety in the league, according to the ESPN rankings, Johnson’s impact on the field will be important. Those intangibles might make him the key to turning around a defense that struggled greatly in 2020.

Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney “would not be fun to go against” says Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield sure is glad to have his “two tiny friends” on his team.

Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney could create a dynamic duo for the Cleveland Browns defensive line in 2021. Garrett has shown his ability to dominate the game while Clowney has struggled to produce and stay healthy but has had great stretches where he has been impactful, despite low sack numbers.

Going into 2021, the Browns needed a player to replace Olivier Vernon after the veteran hit free agency. Vernon will not be available for some time after tearing his Achilles late in the year and Cleveland will miss his veteran presence, along with his talent on the field.

Instead of bringing in one player, the Browns ended up with two free-agent replacements as well as a player returning from injury. Clowney joined Takk McKinley, who signed earlier in the offseason, and Curtis Weaver, who missed his rookie year due to injury.

Opposing quarterbacks are likely to take note of the size, length and speed of Garrett and Clowney, whether they are lining up across from each other or next to each other.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield sure would. “I would not say it would be very fun to go up against them. That duo creates a lot of stuff for a lot of other people on the backend,” Mayfield said.  He continued, “Obviously, we have a lot of guys who are very talented so it is not just those two, but they do add a special dynamic when it comes down to offensive scheming that you have to worry about those two guys.”

The Browns hope Mayfield’s vision comes to fruition and that Mayfield’s “two tiny friends,” along with the rest of the Browns revamped defense, can hassle opposing quarterbacks and give the offense short fields to work with. Mayfield’s just glad it isn’t him that has to worry about those two.

Jadeveon Clowney “looks 100% again” claims his trainer, shares video

The Cleveland Browns signing Jadeveon Clowney to go across from Myles Garrett would have been major news a year or two ago. Going into 2021, it is just a part of an exciting offseason but rarely considered the biggest part.

The Cleveland Browns signing Jadeveon Clowney to go across from Myles Garrett would have been major news a year or two ago. Going into 2021, it is just a part of an exciting offseason but rarely considered the biggest part.

Instead, free-agent additions of John Johnson III and Troy Hill and draft additions of Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah get most of the attention.

The return of Odell Beckham Jr., Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit also seem to overshadow the former #1 overall pick defensive end out of South Carolina.

At this point in the offseason, Clowney’s addition is lumped in with Takk McKinley, Malik Jackson and Anthony Walker more than at the top of the offseason addition conversation.

There are a lot of reasons for that. Timing is the first. Clowney came later in the offseason and his signing was quickly followed by the release of Sheldon Richardson. His lack of sack production gives fans less to be excited about, as well.

In the end, Clowney’s longstanding health issues are the biggest reason for tepid excitement about his addition despite his physical talents. Since coming into the league, the defensive end has had knee, groin and back issues.

It is easy to forget that Clowney has played seven seasons in the NFL already. Out of the possible 112 games, he’s only played in 83 but most of those misses came last year, when he missed eight games, and his rookie season when he missed 12.

Surprisingly based on the injury narrative, the former Gamecock has played in at least 13 games in the other four seasons in the NFL as well as an additional five playoff games.

Coming off a core muscle injury that caused his issues last season in Tennesee, Clowney worked with his trainer Joel Seedman to get his body ready. Brad Stainbrook shared this video sent to him by Seedman:

 

The exercise shown in the video is working a variety of muscles by forcing him to stabilize on an unstable object. This will work his core, abdomen and back, as well as his knee and leg muscles.

If Cleveland gets Clowney near 100%, he will help create a dynamic defensive line able to cause havoc for the AFC. Even if he is near 75%, he should help the Browns be better on defense than they were in 2020. Not bad for a player that is sometimes an after thought of the offseason.

Browns are “most complete” team in the NFL going into 2021

The Cleveland Browns have been called a lot of things over the years but “most complete team” is a new one but an exciting one.

The Cleveland Browns have been called a lot of things over the years but “most complete team” is a new one.

New but accurate.

The Browns had a very successful 2020 season behind a very good offense led by Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, the offensive line and a variety of other playmakers. The team kept continuity on that side of the ball while getting Odell Beckham Jr. back from injury and drafting Anthony Schwartz in the third round of the NFL draft to add even more speed on the outside.

It is on the defense that Cleveland really turned the page from 2020 in a positive way. The Browns could have up to eight new starters on the defense to go along with Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Ronnie Harrison. The team loaded up in free agency, without blowing their future salary cap, and in the draft with Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah as their first two picks.

All of that is why NFL.com just listed Cleveland as the “most complete team” in the NFL:

The Browns have been building a respectable roster for several years now. But heading into the 2021 season, they aren’t just good — they’re loaded with Pro Bowl talent from top to bottom, featuring multiple high-level players at almost every position group.

The Browns are listed just above the last two Super Bowl champions, Tampa Bay and Kansas City. The Los Angeles Chargers slip in at fourth on the list, perhaps most surprisingly.

“Most complete” and “best” are not always the same thing but it does show just how talented Cleveland’s overall roster is.

Of note, special teams is considered the team’s weakness:

Cleveland’s special teams unit was a liability at times last season.

Even with questions on special teams, these aren’t the same old Browns. Those days are over.

AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens did not make the top five list but were noted as a possibility.

The Browns may have the most complete roster in the NFL but they will have to prove that it is good enough to compete with the juggernauts of the league in 2021.

John Johnson III’s contract considered a top five value in the NFL

Normally, NFL free-agent deals are overpays but the Cleveland Browns contract with John Johnson is a top-five value according to PFF.

Generally speaking, signing free agents from other teams results in overpaying but not so for the Cleveland Browns when signing John Johnson III, according to Pro Football Focus.

Figuring out how to evaluate contracts versus a player’s talent is an obviously difficult process. With the ever-growing complexities of NFL contracts, with void years, bonuses, etc, it has become even more difficult to evaluate contract value for players.

A majority of the time, good value is found on rookie deals or when teams identify their own player to extend early in the process. Those deals allow teams to spend more at different positions or on different players while maintaining a high level of play.

Value is a commonly held value in business and personal lives. If someone can get something “50% off” (a legit 50% off, not the mark it up then mark it down variety) and that item is quality, that value creates excitement and enjoyment.

The same is true in the NFL. PFF gave their top 32 value contracts which included the one recently signed by Johnson and the Browns coming in fifth place:

5. S JOHN JOHNSON III, CLEVELAND BROWNS: THREE YEARS, $33.75 MILLION ($24 MILLION TOTAL GUARANTEED)

The four deals negotiated above Johnson’s are all interesting. Stephon Diggs was traded to Buffalo before signing his extension while Darren Waller, Danielle Hunter and DaVante Adams all signed their newest deals with teams they have been with for a while. Hunter’s deal was recently redone, setting him up for earlier free agency, and Adams is set for free agency next offseason. Both could be looking to no longer being on “value” contracts in 2022.

For Cleveland, Johnson’s signing was their biggest impact signing this offseason despite the relative value of the deal. This season, Johnson has less than a $4 million cap hit for the Browns but that more than doubles next year and jumps to $13.5 million in 2023. Thanks to void years, Johnson will count almost $9 million against the Browns cap in 2024 even if he is not on the team.

With Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb, among others, coming due for new contracts, Andrew Berry will need to continue to find as much value in contracts as possible.

Johnson’s value is a great sign of things to come.

Video: Watch John Johnson III play the run in this highlight reel

Video: Cleveland Browns new safety John Johnson III is not only great against the pass but also against the run. A great highlight video.

When the Cleveland Browns signed John Johnson III this offseason the hype was primarily around his ability in coverage. That excitement is based on a lot of tape study and Pro Football Focus grading. PFF graded Johnson as the third-best coverage safety in the NFL at 86.6.

Johnson was also graded as the overall third-best safety in the NFL with a grade of 85.3. Not surprisingly, this also means he was a quality run defender as noted by his PFF run-defense grade of 81.6.

With the Browns planning to play three safeties often, taking a linebacker off the field to do so, Johnson’s ability against the run will be vital. The team’s other two starting safeties, Ronnie Harrison and Grant Delpit will need to play the run and pass well, also, but it is Johnson who will take on a major role in the box.

Today we got a video highlight reel reminder of just how good Johnson is at this role:

 

Plenty of exceptional plays here where it is clear that when Johnson diagnoses a play and makes a decision, he is quick to react. His “click and close” speed keeps runs from getting past the line of scrimmage.

Johnson’s versatility will be helpful against the Baltimore Ravens stout rushing attack but also against mobile quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, as well.

With all the additions this offseason, it will be exciting to watch the Browns defense come together. Johnson could end up being the team’s play-caller on the field and, perhaps, biggest offseason addition.

Troy Hill one of the best slot defenders in the league

Corner Troy Hill might get forgotten in all the other additions but the Cleveland Browns added the “sixth-best” slot defender in the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns upgrades on the defensive side were needed after a poor showing in 2020. The addition of Troy Hill can sometimes go under the radar due to the shadow of the John Johnson III’s signing with both coming over from the Los Angeles Rams.

Outside of the Johnson signing, the name value of the Jadeveon Clowney addition overshadows Hill as well.

As a slot corner, Hill is used to being overlooked. While offenses run three-wide receiver sets far more often than they used to, slot corners still don’t get the recognition, or pay, of corners who play primarily outside as well as other positions.

For the Browns, Hill was an important pickup. While competing with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers (to a lesser extent), Cleveland must have corners who can cover on the inside. Even the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, primarily running teams, have added receivers this offseason to be able to spread defenses out.

Our colleague, Doug Farrar, put together his ranking of slot defenders in the NFL, and Hill was ranked sixth:

 He allowed 44 slot receptions on 66 targets for 395 yards, 216 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 75.4. Hill will now run the slot for the Browns’ vastly improved secondary, which is a good thing — last season from the slot, Cleveland’s defense allowed four touchdowns, and only cornerback M.J. Stewart could manage above-average coverage.

It is important to note that Farrar is looking at all players while they are defending in the slot, not just “slot corners.” Players like Jalen Ramsey, Bryce Callahan and Tyrann Mathieu are not “slot corners” but are ranked ahead of Hill for their play at the position.

For 2021, the Browns will have a multitude of options as slot defenders. While Hill will play the role primarily, all three of Cleveland’s starting safeties and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can play in the slot at a high level.

For the Browns, adding a top-flight slot defender in Hill was just a piece of the puzzle this offseason but an important piece.