Tag: Jacob Phillips

LB Jacob Phillips designated for return from injured reserve by Browns

Designated for return, Phillips could join the team as early as this week:

The Cleveland Browns are hoping to get healthy at just the right time this season. Coming out of their bye week and into the final five weeks of the year, Cleveland needs everyone they can to try to make a late-season push for the playoffs.

Monday, the team designated linebacker Jacob Phillips for return from the injured reserve. Phillips, the team’s third-round pick last year, hurt his bicep during training camp. While initially thought to be season-ending, the team kept Phillips on their initial 53-man roster with the hopes he could return this season.

By designating him for return, the Browns now have three weeks to see Phillips in practice and either activate him to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve for the rest of the year.

While his play as a rookie was limited by a knee issue, the former LSU linebacker showed the explosion that led to this drafting in the third round. Phillips was competing for a starting spot at the time of his injury and would compete to join Anthony Walker and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah among the team’s primary linebackers.

Phillips could be activated as early as this week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. When he is activated, the team would have to open a roster spot by moving on from a player currently active.

Browns add DE Joe Jackson, place LB Jacob Phillips on IR

DE Joe Jackson isn’t shoeless and he isn’t jobless as he returns to the roster in place of the injured linebacker.

As expected, the Cleveland Browns have continued to make moves the day after the initial 53-man roster was due. The NFL rules regarding injured reserve require that a player be on the initial roster before being placed on IR if the team wants that player to be able to play that season.

If the player’s injury will cause him to miss the rest of the season, the team can place him on injured reserve prior to the initial 53-man roster. The Browns did that with Greg Senat and Drew Forbes.

Today comes the expected move of linebacker Jacob Phillips going on IR. Phillips has a biceps injury, reportedly torn, but could make a return this season.

In his place, Cleveland brought back defensive end Joe Jackson to give themselves a fourth defensive end to go along with Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley. The 6’5″ Jackson was waived by the team yesterday and could have been claimed by any other team in the NFL.

Going into his third season, Jackson has only played in eight games including just three with the Browns in 2020. His nine total tackles and one quarterback hit are his lone NFL statistics.

Earlier in the day, Cleveland added defensive ends Porter Gustin and Curtis Weaver to their practice squad. Due to similar rules from 2020, the team could call either or both players up to the active roster for game day in 2021.

For now, the Browns will rely heavily on their top three defensive ends and hope Jackson, Gustin or Weaver can help if needed.

Phillips can return after three games but his injury is expected to keep him out for over half the year. If Cleveland brings him back off injured reserve they would have to release/waive another player.

Jacob Phillips roster decision will be interesting for the Browns

The Browns, seemingly, have three options with the injured LSU linebacker. The likely one has some risk involved.

As the Cleveland Browns look toward narrowing their roster down to the initial 53-man group, the injury to linebacker Jacob Phillips could create an interesting decision.

Originally, reports were that Phillips would miss the rest of the regular season with a torn bicep. A clear-cut decision for the 2021 season for Phillips, as initially reported, would have led to Phillips being placed on the injured reserve list this week.

While the Browns were not due to make decisions to get down to an 80-man roster until Tuesday, they announced their five moves Monday afternoon.

Phillips was not one of them.

That leaves his 2021 season in question. Moving forward Cleveland has a few options with their second-year linebacker:

  • Place on injured reserve as a part of getting the roster down to a 53-man roster.

If the Browns take this route, Phillips would not be able to play this season even if he was healthy. The team could have kept him for this week to see how he is doing to give them more time to make their decision but decide this was the best route.

  • Release/trade him.

This is only noted here because it is, technically, an option but an unlikely one.

  • Phillips makes the initial 53-man roster then is placed on injured reserve.

This seems to be the most likely route but comes with a caution. First, the benefit here would be that the Browns could activate Phillips whenever he got healthy during the 2021 season. With all the talk of their hope for him this offseason, Cleveland seems to have high hopes for the former LSU linebacker.

There is still a caution. For the Browns to do this, they must cut or waive a player they would not have had to if Phillips was placed on injured reserve prior to the initial 53-man roster. The team would then wait a day, place Phillips on the injured reserve so he could return and then, likely, re-sign that player back to the roster.

The Browns did this a couple of years ago with LT Greg Robinson. Cleveland wanted to keep rookie Drew Forbes eligibility for the season. The Browns were able to pull it off but it is not without risks especially in 2021.

This version of the Browns has a lot of talented players on the roster. The team would like need to cut a veteran, instead of exposing a young player to waivers, with an understanding that they would sign him right back shortly thereafter. While there may be a handshake agreement, the two sides cannot negotiate this in advance.

As a team with big aspirations this season, Cleveland risks another team offering more money for whatever player they cut and plan to re-sign. A risky proposition but one that, as long as things go as planned, allows Phillips to return this season.

Is the linebacker worth that risk? We will find out over the next week.

Browns list 11 players as likely out due to injuries versus Giants

Of the 11 expected to miss today’s game, only a few are certain for the 53-man roster. The others are fighting for their roster lives. Interesting note on Phillips included:

The Cleveland Browns will sit a majority of their starters today against the New York Giants. According to a report this morning, the Giants plan to do the same as they visit Cleveland today.

Not only will the Browns be without starters as a way of protecting them from getting injured but the team has also listed 11 players that are not expected to play due to injuries. Of those 11 players, five are dealing with hamstring issues.

Only a few of the players seem locked into 53-man roster spots, the others are losing a chance to prove that they belong on a team fighting for the playoffs. The team officially released this list this morning:

WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring)
S Grant Delpit (hamstring)
S Sheldrick Redwine (ankle)
CB M.J. Stewart Jr. (hamstring)
LB Tony Fields II (foot)
LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring)
LB Jacob Phillips (biceps)
C Nick Harris (knee)
G Michael Dunn (back)
WR Alexander Hollins (hamstring)
WR Ja’Marcus Bradley (neck)

Phillips is the most interesting name. Reportedly, the linebacker could miss the season with a biceps injury but the team may want to keep him on the initial 53-man roster. By doing so, Cleveland could then place him on injured reserve with the ability to bring him back late in the season if he is able to heal quickly.

Schwartz and Delpit seemed to have roster spots locked in while Harris and Dunn are more likely than not to make the team. The rest of the list are fighting for their roster lives and injuries could hold them back from the team’s initial 53-man roster.

Report: Former LSU LB Jacob Phillips could be done for the year

It was reported that former LSU linebacker Jacob Phillips has a torn bicep and is likely done for the season.

Another tough blow for a former LSU Tigers linebacker heading into year two of his NFL career.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, former LSU linebacker and current Cleveland Brown Jacob Phillips tore his bicep. His 2021 season is now in doubt as he will require surgery to repair the injury.

Last season Phillips played in nine games with three starts as a rookie. He accounted for 25 tackles, one TFL, one quarterback hit, and one pass defended.

This year Phillips was expected to compete for a starting role at linebacker after his 2020 season where he dealt with knee problems. An unfortunate event for the talented linebacker who helped the Tigers win the national championship in 2019.

Friday morning came news that Phillips’ injury is severe. Lauded for the offseason work he had put in, Phillips was expected to fight for a starting spot next to veteran Anthony Walker. Knee problems limited him during his rookie season but the LSU linebacker showed glimpses of the speed that made him Cleveland’s third-round pick in 2020. – Jared Mueller, Browns Wire

In three seasons with the Tigers from 2017-19, Phillips played in 34 games. During that span, he tallied 218 total tackles, 13.5 TFLs, two sacks, one interception returned for a touchdown, and five passes defended.

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LB Jacob Phillips likely out the year due to torn bicep

A potential starting linebacker is now likely out for the season for the Browns. Who steps into his role?

The Cleveland Browns have done everything they can to try to avoid injuries during training camp but there is only so much that can be done. Yesterday, the team had two of their linebackers leave practice early. Initial reports were that Jacob Phillips left with an elbow injury while Sione Takitaki had a hamstring issue.

Friday morning came news that Phillips’ injury is severe. Lauded for the offseason work he had put in, Phillips was expected to fight for a starting spot next to veteran Anthony Walker. Knee problems limited him during his rookie season but the LSU linebacker showed glimpses of the speed that made him Cleveland’s third-round pick in 2020.

A torn bicep will likely sideline him for the season:

 

Rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah could be first up to take the starting role next to Walker while veteran Malcolm Smith could also be in the mix. Mack Wilson, who had a good camp so far, is currently missing time with an injury that could keep him from fighting for that starting spot.

Rookie Tony Fields is also dealing with an injury that could impact his ability to fill needs at the linebacker and special teams spots.

We will continue to update you on Browns injuries as they come including Takitaki’s hamstring.

Two more Browns linebackers leave practice early Thursday

Two more linebackers got hurt at Thursday’s practice. That position group has had a lot of dings in training camp so far.

The Cleveland Browns have been dinged up throughout training camp. The linebacking group has had some especially bad luck.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah missed the start of training camp due to a COVID-19 positive test. Anthony Walker missed about a week of practice with a knee injury. Mack Wilson is currently missing time due to a shoulder issue. Tony Fields has a foot problem.

Coming into training camp, Walker and Owusu-Koramoah were expected to fight for starting roles while Wilson and Fields were expected to fight for roster spots. During the time they were able to be on the field, Walker has locked up his starting role while Wilson seemed en route to a roster spot before his injury.

Of the two rookies, Owusu-Koramoah flashed in the first preseason game and may still be able to nab the other starting role while Fields has struggled to even see the field.

Today, the Browns had two more linebackers leave practice due to injury as Jacob Phillips hurt his elbow and Sione Takitaki joined the long list of hamstring issues. Phillips is also competing for a starting spot while Takitaki may have to fight to stay on the roster.

Of those at the top of the depth chart, only Malcolm Smith has avoided missing time due to injury.

We will update you on both new injuries as soon as we have more information.

Healthy Jacob Phillips could start for the Browns

Lost in all the additions on the roster, Jacob Phillips is reportedly healthy and could start for the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have loaded up on talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason but holdover Jacob Phillips could fight for a starting spot.

With the additions in the secondary (John Johnson III, Troy Hill, Greg Newsome II) and defensive line (Jadeveon Clowney, Takk McKinley, Malik Jackson) get a lot of attention, the linebacker group also added two interesting players. Anthony Walker was brought over in free agency while the Browns traded up to select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round.

Walker was considered a key leader in Indianapolis while Owusu-Koramoah was a versatile chess piece for Notre Dame and fits the wide-open NFL. Both are expected to compete for the team’s starting linebacker spots with many assuming they win those jobs.

Cleveland has a few carryover defenders competing at linebacker along with Phillips. Malcolm Smith was brought back on a one-year deal after a very good season with the Browns while Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson could be fighting for their roster lives.

It is Phillips who might have the most upside of the players returning from last year. After struggling with injuries most of the season, Terry Pluto reports that the LSU linebacker is healthy and that the team believes he could start:

They believe Phillips can compete for a starting linebacker job. They love his tackling.

Phillips is an athletic player with good instincts. If he can stay healthy, the Browns could have trouble deciding who will start. Due to his ability in the run game and a year of experience in the NFL, Phillips could have a leg up on Owusu-Koramoah. Being able to run with Lamar Jackson on this play shows how valuable he could be:

 

Like most spots on the Cleveland roster, depth is exceptional to have. Phillips taking over a starting spot gives Joe Woods a chance to use Owusu-Koramoah in more flexible ways at times. A good amount of depth also helps keep players fresh and protect against injury.

Jacob Phillips believes ‘I’m a whole lot smarter’ after his rookie year with the Browns

Cleveland LB Jacob Phillips believes ‘I’m a whole lot smarter’ after his rookie year with the Browns

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Jacob Phillips had an interesting rookie season with the Cleveland Browns. The third-round linebacker from LSU played in nine games, starting three, as part of the overhauled LB corps in Cleveland. Phillips is ready to roll into his second season and is hoping to make a bigger NFL splash in his second year.

In a fun conversation with hosts Jason Gibbs and Andrew Gribble on “The Best Podcast Available”, Phillips reflected on his rookie campaign and how much he learned.

“I think I’m a whole lot smarter,” Phillips said. “Coming from college, watching film isn’t as much of a big thing. It’s basically just everyone going out and competing. Obviously there’s schemes, but in the NFL, we all know it’s a different level. I feel like I’ve got a good footing on it for next year.”

Phillips noted he missed eight weeks during the season due to an injury that he reaggravated, and it helped him realize how much work he had to do.

“We really, really rely on every single person that takes the field in the NFL,” Phillips said. “Realizing that every play is a big play, everything that you do can be pivotal (to) success in the game.”

He also looks back on the build-up to being drafted by the Browns and what it will be like for the prospects this year with no NFL scouting combine.

You can catch the whole interview on the show’s YouTube feed. Phillips comes in around the 14-minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-25Y3kQLgrI

Jarvis Landry and 4 others activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list

The Browns get back 4 WRs and LB Jacob Phillips

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski offered some much-needed good news on Thursday. Stefanski indicated that the five players who were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list for being close contacts to a positive test last Saturday have all been activated.

That means WRs Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rashard Higgins and Khadarel Hodge, as well as LB Jacob Phillips, will be back on the field at the next opportunity. Thursday’s scheduled practice was whacked as a result of TE Harrison Bryant and LB Malcolm Smith testing positive for COVID-19.

“I think you’re always excited to get all of those guys back,” Stefanski said Thursday. “Whether a guy is coming back from injury or the COVID list or anything you’re always excited to get the full complement of guys back.”

The Browns passing attack struggled without the top four wideouts in last Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets. Getting back Landry, the veteran leader of the offense, is vital to the Browns as they prepare to face the rival Pittsburgh Steelers.