The Cleveland Browns will be seeing some new faces on defense this season, as two linebackers have found new homes. Sione Takitaki is heading to New England, and Anthony Walker Jr. is signing with Miami.
Takitaki’s deal with the Patriots is for $6.5 million over two years with up to $10 million in incentives, according to reports. Meanwhile, it is a one-year deal for the Miami-native Walker. Cleveland is losing their third-highest tackler in Takitaki and defensive captain in Walker.
Takitaki is a solid but mostly unspectacular player. There are times when Takitaki can make a play and others when he sort of gets lost in the shuffle. But that does not mean there was no value in his play, considering that every team needs players of his skill level to raise the overall talent floor.
It was a bounce-back year for Walker, as he missed the majority of the 2022 season due to injury. Walker was able to finish 2023 with 44 total tackles, four pass defenses, and two fumble recoveries in 12 games. While this is better than his abbreviated three-game season the year before, it is nowhere near his 113 total tackles during his first season in Cleveland (2021). Injuries have seemed to add up during his time in a Browns uniform, impacting his ability to make plays consistently.
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