CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns kicked off Day 1 of legal tampering by keeping a pair of their defensive linemen and replacing a linebacker.
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith, acquired last offseason in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst agreed to stay in Cleveland.
Smith gets a two-year contract worth $23.5 million that could be worth up to $25 million with incentives while Hurst returns on a one-year deal worth $3.5 million according to NFL Network ad ESPN.
Smith tallied 5.5 sacks, 20 QB hits, eight tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a forced fumble working opposite of 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett this past season.
Hurst broke up three passes, had 1.5 sacks, five QB hits, four tackles for loss, and an interception and fumble recovery in 2023.
“Run it back,” Hurst posted on his X social media account.
Linebacker and defensive team captain Anthony Walker Jr. agreed to sign with his hometown Miami Dolphins while reserve cornerback and special teamer Mike Ford agreed to a contract with the Houston Texans.
“Cribbbbbbb” Walker posted on his Instagram story with a praying hands emoji and photo announcing the news.
The Browns responded to coming to terms on a two-year deal worth a reported $8 million with Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks.
Hicks, who enters his 10th season, played under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in Philadelphia. Last season Hicks tallied 107 tackles – four for loss, in addition to five pass break ups, a sack, forced fumble and interception for Minnesota
Over his nine-year career with the Eagles, Cardinals and Vikings Hicks has 874 tackles, 47 for a loss, 14.5 sacks, 33 QB hits, 13 interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles.
Hicks, an Ohio native, has recorded 100 sacks in each of his last five seasons.
Walker played just 28 games over three seasons with the Browns due to injuries. Well respected within the locker room, Walker totaled 170 tackles – seven for a loss, one sack, three QB hits eight pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
Linenebcker Sione Takitaki, drafted by the Browns 80th overall in 2019, is off to New England. New Patriots GM Elliot Wolf was an assistant GM in Cleveland at the time.
Over five seasons Takitaki totaled 268 tackles – 14 for loss, four sacks, eight QB hits, two forced fumbles and interceptions and a fumble recovery for the Browns.
On Saturday, the Browns agreed to acquire receiver Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos for a pair of 2024 draft picks – Nos. 135 and 202 in the fifth and sixth rounds respectively.