Tag: Anthony Walker Jr.

5 cheap depth pieces the Browns should bring back in free agency

Cheap depth is a great thing.

Madness has already begun to ensue as the New Orleans Saints are getting the free agency party started by signing quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year deal. The Cleveland Browns will have cap space to throw around once quarterback Deshaun Watson restructures his contract, but they need to hit on depth pieces as well as a big name or two. Anthony Walker Jr. is a favorite in the locker room, and a player in a position of need as the Browns look to transition their defense into the hands of new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

Outside of Walker Jr., however, who are some other in-house free agents the Browns could look to bring back on a budget?

Linebacker Jacob Phillips laments the loss of Anthony Walker Jr. to injury

Walker had been one of the Browns’ most important contributors on defense, and in his absence, Phillips will have big shoes to fill.

Perhaps the only disappointing part of the Cleveland Browns’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was the role that injuries played in the game. Three defensive players went down in the matchup, including two linebackers who looked to play a huge part in the unit’s success moving forward.

Chief among the linebackers lost was starter Anthony Walker Jr., who left the game with a knee injury and was promptly placed on injured reserve the following day. His presence in the middle of the Browns’ defense has helped buoy the team through three weeks of the regular season, and will be sorely missed moving forward.

Walker’s replacement, third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips, spoke to members of the media on Monday about the impact of the loss on the defense. It became clear early in his comments that the unit’s outlook could be drastically different without one of their key leaders in the mix, but Phillips expressed hope for Walker’s quick recovery and said the team will do whatever they can to maintain their success in his absence.

“Very tough,” Phillips said of Walker’s injury. “Obviously, in our room, we really and on the team hold him in a high regard. He is a great teammate. Obviously, when you lose good players on your team, you wish it wouldn’t happen, but you play football long enough, injuries are going to happen. He will get through this. Prayerfully, we are just going to keep going.”

This somber note on Monday made the win against Pittsburgh feel like a bittersweet achievement, though in the game of football, brutal losses are always the norm. Walker had been one of the defense’s fastest-rising stars in 2022, and looked to be an impact player for the team for the rest of the season. Now, with Phillips filling the void, Cleveland will have to rely on his contributions to keep the defense in contention through the rest of their challenging schedule.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw33aqtym0ft0g player_id=none image=https://brownswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Browns lose Anthony Walker Jr. for the rest of season

Anthony Walker Jr. has torn his quad and will miss the rest of the season for the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns will be without their starting MIKE linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. for the rest of the season as it has been revealed that he tore his quad against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The discouragement from his teammates was palpable last night as Walker Jr. is a true leader on that unit.

Moving forward, Jacob Phillips, who was rotating in and out, will take over as the full time MIKE for the Browns. For a player that was off to the best start of his career, this is a devastating injury as he is again set for free agency next offseason.

Jacob Phillips on playing in relief of Anthony Walker Jr.: ‘I like when I feel the pressure’

Third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips was ready to see his first meaningful snaps of the season in the #Browns’ win over Pittsburgh.

Wins against divisional rivals go a long way for NFL teams with the hopes of making the playoffs, and the Cleveland Browns will surely be helped by their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Their resounding victory felt like a change of the guard in the AFC North but was made bittersweet by the loss of linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. midway through the matchup.

Walker was hit hard in an effort to make a tackle and had to be carted off the field, leaving third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips to fill his role. Phillips spoke to reporters after the game about getting his first real action of the season and expressed gratitude for his ability to make an impact.

“I like when I feel the pressure,” Phillips said. “I feel like that is when I thrive the most when I am out there and I am able to adjust and get a feel of the game. Obviously, I am blessed to walk out of this game healthy and for the plays that I was able to make.”

Asked if he felt prepared to substitute in when Walker went down, Phillips gave an emphatic response that may be a sign of more involvement in the defense in the coming weeks.

“Definitely,” he told reporters. “Even going into this game, my role increased, and I was excited for that. Whatever increase the team has me do I am thankful for.”

Phillips may be needed more as the season wears on, as Walker’s timetable for recovery is, to this point, unclear. With more reps likely in his future, he will need to try to duplicate his performance against Pittsburgh to keep the Browns’ defense running smoothly.

If he can do that, Phillips may find himself in a more permanent role moving forward as Cleveland looks to establish themselves as the AFC North’s top dogs.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw33aqtym0ft0g player_id=none image=https://brownswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Browns are lucky to have Anthony Walker Jr. in their locker room

As the Cleveland Browns search for answers defensively, they have a rock to lean on in leader and captain Anthony Walker Jr.

Anthony Walker Jr. re-signed with the Cleveland Browns this past summer on a one-year deal, and there was not much thought put into it. He was the starting MIKE linebacker a year ago, but on the deal he was given, it looked like he was just giving the team a runway to get Jacob Phillips on the field.

Yet as the defense continues to struggle against the pass and searches for answers, Walker Jr.’s presence is proving to be more important than initially imaginable.  There is a lot of finger-pointing going on in the secondary, and accountability is hard to find in that room.

However, Walker Jr. is stepping up for this team, proving to be the glue guy this locker room desperately needs right now.

Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. on the importance of team’s 1-0 start

A Week 1 win was just what the Browns needed to build momentum heading into the meat of their 2022 schedule.

The Cleveland Browns are out for blood in 2022 and got their season started with a bang in Week 1. Their triumphant 26-24 win over the Carolina Panthers felt like a statement of absolute dominance, even if the margin of victory was relatively slim.

The victory was made possible by several key players. Rookie kicker Cade York hit a game-winning field goal to put the Browns over the top, but it was the play of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett that kept Cleveland within striking range of the lead throughout the contest.

In the team’s Wednesday morning press conference, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. expounded on the feeling that he got when the Browns emerged winners after the hard-fought game. He explained that he had talked to Brissett about the experience and what it meant to him to start the season with a win for the first time in his career.

“I’m just happy that he’s able to, you know, find a way to put one in the win column,” Walker said. “I told him, I think this is my first time, and probably his first time outside of his first year in New England, where we’ve started the season 1-0. That’s huge. I’ve always been 0-1 since I’ve been in the NFL, so to get that first win is pretty crucial, and I think that’s another emotional aspect of it for him, getting that first win of the year, no matter how you do it, just [to] get it done.”

While the season is far from over, Cleveland is certainly in a more advantageous position heading into Week 2 than they have been in previous years at this point. The culture of change within the Browns’ organization is palpable to all observers when compared to years past, and their Week 1 performance will serve as an important milestone in the franchise’s hopes of winning a Lombardi Trophy in the not-so-distant future.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw33aqtym0ft0g player_id=none image=https://brownswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Browns make flurry of moves ahead of training camp opening

Five players, including Ward, were added to different injury/illness lists as players report to camp today:

The Cleveland Browns are still waiting for a resolution to QB Deshaun Watson’s disciplinary hearing. There is no certainty that the resolution will come anytime soon but the league calendar marches on.

The Browns quarterbacks and rookies reported to Berea last week with the rest of the team joining them by today. When the rookies reported, WR David Bell was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after his physical.

With Cleveland’s roster full of talented players, there should be high hopes if everyone can stay healthy. While not everyone agrees, the Browns should be playoff contenders as long as Watson is able to play at least half of the games this year.

Keeping everyone healthy will be the key. With the rest of the team arriving and going through their physicals, Cleveland placed five players on different lists today due to injuries or illness:

Anthony Walker Jr. continues to show leadership for Browns

Walker once again showed why teammates have raved about his leadership with his initiative to welcome Deshaun Watson with his preferred jersey number:

The addition of LB Anthony Walker Jr. last year was seen as an important one for the culture and identity of the defense. While it was surprising that the team invested almost $5 million for one year of Walker, the gamble paid off leading to the team bringing him back for another season at a slightly lower price.

Last year, despite missing four games, Walker tallied 113 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. While Walker’s boxscore lacks splash plays, his consistency at the position was valuable as the team transitioned Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to the pro level.

Darius Leonard heaped praises on his former teammate when Cleveland signed Walker. Leonard focused on his leadership and character as a huge part of his value. Greg Newsome II did the same.

Last year, the new Browns linebacker chose to take the #4 jersey which once belonged to team legend Phil Dawson. Earlier this offseason, we noted that it looked like Walker was set to change again to make room for Deshaun Watson to wear #4. Walker shared how that happened and why:

Deciding to reach out to the team’s new offensive leader instead of waiting for him to do so, especially given how much Walker values the number, shows great maturity. While Watson may have given Walker a financial incentive to do so, Walker’s initiation likely helps bond the two team leaders.

Walker’s addition paid off on the field last year and continues to pay dividends off of it. Great leadership finds a way.

Colts free agent LB Anthony Walker visiting Browns

Walker Jr. may have a suitor in Cleveland.

Indianapolis Colts free agent linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. is visiting the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Walker Jr. has been working as the MIKE linebacker for the Colts since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft but with Bobby Okereke set to take over that role, Walker Jr. hits the market.

Over the last three seasons, Walker Jr. has started 46 of a possible 48 games for the Colts. He would eventually give way to Okereke during the 2020 season as the latter continued to prove to be a better fit for the Colts defense.

An extremely intelligent player and strong asset against the run, Walker Jr. can command a defense easily while being a leader off the field. However, his limitations in coverage could give teams pause in giving him a big contract.

It is unlikely the Colts will match his price to bring him back to Indy, which makes the Browns a potential suitor for the 25-year-old.

[lawrence-related id=56824,56820,56809]

6 pending free agents the Colts should let walk

Indy should let these players walk in free agency.

While the playoffs are going on, the Indianapolis Colts will be hard at work figuring out their plan for the offseason. This includes which players to re-sign before free agency and which players to let walk.

The Colts currently have 20 players set to hit free agency as either unrestricted free agents (UFA) or restricted free agents (RFA) so there are a lot of decisions to make. Even if the Colts want to retain everyone, they won’t be able to.

After taking a look at which players the Colts should re-sign, let’s see which pending free agents Indy should let walk this offseason.