After signing John Johnson III, Takkarist Mckinley and Troy Hill, the Cleveland Browns made another splash in NFL Free Agency. They signed former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Anthony Walker to a one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million.
Browns Sign LB Anthony Walker
With the Walker signing, the Browns add a veteran presence to their linebacking corps. Walker has started 46-of-48 games for the Colts over the last three seasons. He has averaged over 100 tackles per season, during his time in Indy.
However, Walker is a very poor coverage linebacker. His 45.5 coverage grade this past year is only slightly above the coverage grade for Browns safety Andrew Sendejo. Hopefully Walker fares better in defensive coordinator Joe Woods’ defensive scheme.
Anthony Walker Career Stats
Games Played: 57 | Age: 25
Tackles: 343 | Tackles For Loss: 19
Sacks: 3.5 | QB Hits: 6
Interceptions: 3 | Passes Defended: 11
Browns Free Agency Grade
The Browns need a lot of help on defense, particularly in the second and third levels of the defense. Walker is a proven linebacker in the NFL, and he will fit in well with the Browns defense. However, with his poor coverage, the Browns still need to add a linebacker or two in the draft and free agency. Overall, this is a quality signing for a young defender. His game reminds me of a young Joe Schobert, who had a couple very good years in Cleveland.
Grade: B
