Anthony Walker signing from the Colts

gumby73

I'll take this as a good referral...

Darius Leonard

@dsleon45

·

10m

Amazing player man, he does everything the right way!

It sucks that he’s leaving but Cleveland is gaining a Dawg!

He’s a great leader and he’s going to lead your defense to be great!

I will truly miss him! I give him a lot of credit for my success!

I wouldn’t be me without him!

LondonBrown

Tour2ma

Expansion on the above tweets...

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/03/browns-agreement-with-lb-anthony-walker-1-year-up-to-35-million-gets-ringing-endorsement-from-colts-all-pro-darius-leonard.html

“If y’all actually understood the impact he has a on a locker room!’' Leonard tweeted right after news that Walker, 25, agreed to a one-year deal with the Browns up to $3.5 million with bonuses and incentives.

Walker, who visited the Browns Thursday, made his mark on the Browns last season during their 32-23 victory over the Colts when he picked off Baker Mayfield with 7:05 left to make things tense at FirstEnergy Stadium.

A fifth-round pick of the Colts out of Northwestern in 2017, Walker (6-foot-1, 230), has amassed 343 tackles, 19 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, 11 passes defensed, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries in his four seasons. He started all 16 games last season and recorded 92 tackles, but third-year linebacker Bobby Okereke is set to take over that spot.

According to Pro Football Focus, Walker had the 16th-best tackling efficiency and was 20th in tackling grade among qualifying linebackers in 2020.

LondonBrown

This roster now has to be the best since the return?!

Playoffs are coming again no doubt in my mind

Dutch Oven

@londonbrown said:

This roster now has to be the best since the return?!

Playoffs are coming again no doubt in my mind

I dig the secondary moves, for sure.

But an argument can be made that the Browns front seven (or six) is no better, if not inferior, to what they finished the season with.

In 2021, the most important thing a defense has to do is pressure the QB. As of today, the Browns are no better, if not worse, than they were last season in this category.

(But the offseason is a long way from being done)

Unsympathetic

Walker seems like a depth pickup.. Can't see how he'd start over Taki who seemingly out of nowhere rated over 70 last year. Or for that matter Malcolm Smith who both rated higher and is vastly better in coverage.

Key item from this article: Walker played on 3rd down just 53 times the entire season last year. And if we're going with the theory that LB's will be used less frequently in 2021 than in 2020 due to injuries.. that seems about right for Walker in 2021 also.

Certainly, having competition for reps in the LB room is a good problem to have, but this seems more like a slight upgrade over Goodson at the backup slot than a new starter..

Assuming we're done at LB [Taki/smith/phillips/walker/wilson].. only thing left is first-round edge then BPA from any of DI/DB/WR/OL purely for depth? Wow..

hoorta

@londonbrown said:

One year $3.5m, started all 16 games last year I believe

The best ability is "availability". Greedy and Delpit- you listening?

jiggins7919

@tiamat63 said:

Might have to go back and watch, but I remember the Colts backers being hot garbage.

Sans Leonard, of course.

Other than that effing kickoff for a TD, it was probably one of our best performances of the year. We straight up bitch-slapped a playoff team.

jiggins7919

@hoorta said:

The best ability is "availability". Greedy and Delpit- you listening?

Man, if they're both healthy this season it'd be like getting two early draft picks. I'm not sold on Greedy but I got the feeling our coaches are infatuated with Delpit.

calfoxwc

@jiggins7919 said:

Man, if they're both healthy this season it'd be like getting two early draft picks. I'm not sold on Greedy but I got the feeling our coaches are infatuated with Delpit.

I read where Greedy had the shoulder nerve issue in college - apparently aggravated it with the Browns. If he's fully recovered from it, we should see Greedy in a new light on the field.

jiggins7919

@calfoxwc said:

I read where Greedy had the should nerve issue in college - apparently aggravated it with the Browns. If he's fully recovered from it, we should see Greedy in a new light on the field.

That would be insane. Corners are the backbone of a defense and they tend to get injured so you can't have too many!

Dutch Oven

@jiggins7919 said:

Man, if they're both healthy this season it'd be like getting two early draft picks.

No, it would be like two high draft picks finally getting on the field.

It's not like they are going to go to the Browns front office and tell them "Hey buddies, I'll just forgo going to free agency a year since I didn't play in 2020 mmmmkay?"

Unsympathetic

Review of Walker

Sideline to sideline ability
Strong run fits, instincts and IQ
Flows and fill gaps well
Good closing burst
Good hands / shedding in run pursuit
Coverage drops need work but does his job vs screen game

Quote from Walker: "I want to win and that is why Cleveland is the place I chose."

TexasAg1969

Very good discussion of his value as a coach on the field. Reminds me of the value Dat Nguyen brought to the Boys. Great at diagnosing the plays based on study translated to his view from the field.