The Browns have officially brought back one of their top defensive leaders and tacklers, signing LB Anthony Walker Jr. on Wednesday for his third season with the team.
A six-year veteran, Walker only played three games last season due to a season-ending quad injury suffered in Week 3, totaling 13 tackles and two pass breakups. He led the Browns in tackles in 2021, however, with 113 of them in 13 games and has been one of the core pieces of the defense since he arrived in Cleveland that year.
In addition to his steady tackling, Walker has filled the role of the green-dot player for the defense and has relayed play calls to his teammates. He's been lauded by coaching for not only his own positioning, but his ability to line up his other teammates in effective spots.
"I love the guy," head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday the NFL Annual Meetings. "Love everything about him. Love what he brings to our team. He was playing really good football before he was injured last season, unfortunately. But he's a good football player. He's awesome in the locker room. He's a son of a coach. When he's done playing 10 years from now, I'm going to try to convince him to coach. He's just rock solid."
Walker has eclipsed 100 tackles in three of his six NFL seasons and previously played for the Colts for four seasons before joining the Browns.
Walker will be the most experienced player in the Browns' linebacker room and one of the most experienced players on the defense. He joins Sione Takitaki and Jordan Kunaszyk as linebacker the Browns have re-signed this offseason and will also share a room with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jacob Phillips, Tony Fields II, Sam Kamara and Storey Jackson.
