BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Anthony Walker has earned the starting MIKE linebacker job for the Browns.
He’ll also be one of the two defensive captains.
“I think you get to the NFL and you want to be one. You pride yourself in that,” Walker said Wednesday before head coach Kevin Stefanski made the announcements. “And that’s what this game is about, competition and bringing out the best in everyone. At the end of the day, letting the coach decide who should be on the field.”
Stefanski confirmed Walker will start against the Panthers Sunday in Charlotte but Jacob Phillips, who competed with Walker during camp and the preseason for the job, will be on the field plenty.
“Jacob is going to play a ton,” Stefanski said Wednesday. “You have 11 guys who are ‘starters’ on either side of the ball and then you have guys that play a ton of football for you and help you win. I would highlight (S) Ronnie Harrison (Jr.), going to be playing a ton of defense for us and going to be playing a ton of special teams. Is he ‘a starter?’ I guess not, but to me he is.
“We look at it as you have got 53 guys on the active [roster] and 48 up on gameday, and they are all going to play and we are going to need all of them, but obviously, you are going to have to start with 11 on either side.”
Walker is in his second season and feeling more comfortable with the Browns after signing another one-year contract to return in the spring.
“I knew a lot last year, but this year I got time to get film of myself doing it and dive into the playbook and all that stuff in the offseason, and I think that helped me a lot,” Walker said. “Familiarity with these guys and all the guys in the locker room, the front seven and the back seven and spending a little time together and being on one page, and I feel like if we do that, that’s all we need to do.”
Last season Walker started 12 of the 13 games he appeared in where he broke up a pair of passes, registered a sack and led the team with 113 tackles.
He is being counted on to lead the younger players including Phillips and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
“Just growth, a lot of growth in that room,” Walker said. “Guys competing, having fun, that cohesion that we’ve built, it’s been great, it’s been great throughout training camp.”
Captain my captain – The Browns will have team captains for the first time under Stefanski, who opted for game-by-game captains his first two years, this season.
“I thought it was something that we should do this year,” Stefanski said. “I would tell you and I told the whole team this, you do not need a ‘C’ on your chest to be a leader. You just do not. I think leadership comes from a bunch of areas of your football team, but I do think it says a lot about those players – those players that would represent us before the game and go out there – it says a lot about who you are.”
Left guard Joel Bitonio and running bac Nick Chubb represent the offense, defensive end Myles Garrett and Walker represent the defense and long snapper Charley Hughlett represents the special teams unit.
Top secret returns – Stefanski would not say who the punt and kickoff returners will be.
“We’ll see,” Stefanski said.
After Jakeem Grant suffered a torn Achilles early in training camp that ended his season before it began, the Browns have employed a small army of returners for the remainder of camp and the preseason.
“We have a good idea [who will handle them],” Stefanski said. “We have a bunch of guys on this roster who can do it. I am very comfortable with multiple guys. Who we put out there the first time on punt and kickoff, we will see on that.”
Mixing it up – Wednesday marked the first time since 2019 reporters were allowed in the locker room in Berea.
Stefanski does not segregate locker assignments – offense and defense or by position. Players are mixed together – offensive players next to defensive players, rookies with veterans.
“Just how we like to do it around here,” Stefanski said. “Just forced interaction.”
Quote of the day – “I think it is the Browns versus the Panthers. That is just what it is. It is nameless, faceless opponents.” – Quarterback Jacoby Brissett on avoiding getting caught up in the hype of facing Baker Mayfield Sunday.
Injury report – DNP: DE Jadeveon Clowney (illness/elbow); LIMITED: RT Jack Conklin (knee), S Grant Delpit (hip), CB Greedy Williams (hamstring), DE Chase Winovich (hamstring), WR Michael Woods II (hamstring); FULL: CB AJ Green (hip), S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring), OT Chris Hubbard (elbow), DE Isaiah Thomas (and)
Up next – Practice Thursday