There are three starting positions open at linebacker and by our calculations, there are four players in the mix.
The preview of the Cleveland Browns linebackers will be broken down into two parts.
The first part will be the four players that are in the mix for the starting jobs.
Mack Wilson
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 233 pounds
- Age: 22
- Experience: 2 years
- College: Alabama
The Browns featured one of the weakest linebacker corps in the NFL last year.
Wilson was a rookie that headlined that group and his stats are not pretty.
It would have been nice for Wilson to start his career off as a role player, but he instead played 958 snaps.
He finished his rookie season with a grade of 41.8 according to Pro Football Focus.
Given that Wilson was a fifth-round pick thrown in a starting job, there is no reason to give up on him and his potential.
At 22 years old, Wilson has plenty of room to grown.
Wilson was once rated as one of the top rookies by PFF heading into the 2019 season, so there’s plenty of reason to believe he can take the next step as a starter once again.
BJ Goodson
- Height: 6-1
- Weight 242 pounds
- Age 27
- Experience: 5 years
- College: Clemson
Goodson appears to be making the best of this opportunity and looks like he is in solid competition for a starting spot.
#Browns LB Coach Jason Tarver says that they liked LB BJ Goodson hands in length & his number of snaps will be whatever he earns. Says that it will be about the competition, and BJ has been working his tail off.
— BrownsAccess (@BrownsAccess) June 24, 2020
Goodson was signed this offseason after starting 20 games from 2017-2018 for the Giants and nine games for the Packers in 2019.
In 15 games, Goodson finished with 37 tackles and finished with a rating of 62.2 according to PFF.
Goodson has proved to be an average tackler and has an opportunity to prove himself.
His chances of making the final roster are very high, but his starting job remains in question.
Sione Takitaki
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 238 pounds
- Age: 25
- Experience: 2 years
- College: BYU
Takitaki has chance to make a name for himself.
When the Browns selected Takitaki with the 80th overall pick, the team was hoping to upgrade their depth on defense, but the rookie only played 4.3 percent of the defensive snaps according to Football Outsiders.
He finished with just 12 tackles last season and a lot of that had to do with former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks reliance on the 4-2-5 defense.
However, there were times that Takitaki looked like a dominant force at linebacker.
New defensive coordinator, Joe Woods, is going to have to find a way to put him in the best position possible.
Sione Takitaki has only played 17 defensive snaps on D this season but they’ve all come the past 2 games (2 wins) and he’s graded out at 80.3 overall, including a stout 81.6 Run Defense mark.
I’d expect him to see more time this week. #Browns #NFL
— CLEology (@_CLEology) November 21, 2019
Jacob Phillips
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 229 pounds
- Age: 21
- Experience: Rookie
- College: LSU
Phillips is a third-round pick by the Browns this year and was considered a reach at one point.
There is a general consensus that scouts are worried about what he can do at the NFL level.
However, others believe that Phillips is 100% in the mix for a starting position for the Browns.
AFC North #Dynasty Stashes for #FFIDP (thread 1/4)
BROWNS
LB, Jacob Phillips
– 2-year starter at LSU and 3rd round pick for the Browns.
– 2nd in the SEC in solo tackles in 2019.
– 88.8 tackling grade in 2019
– Takitaki + BJ Goodson only real competition for snaps atm 🤔— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) July 6, 2020
Phillips has game tape that shows how he could be used in stopping the run.
For now, Phillips does not appear to be a starter, but he could be used in third and short packages.
Studying Grant Delpit still, but Jacob Phillips catching the eye in run support. Physical at the POA, sure tackler. More to come on him next week. #Browns pic.twitter.com/1ka2fRNvzF
— OBR Film Breakdown (@TheOBRFilmBDN) April 26, 2020
One of his weaknesses is lateral movement, but when it comes to straight-line movement, Phillips appears to be the right man for the job.
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