NFL free agency: Another Browns linebacker departs

Jacob Phillips was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft

With the NFL draft just days away, NFL free agency feels like it was three months ago instead of having kicked off just last month. For the Cleveland Browns, free agency saw the return of many key depth pieces and just a few, hopefully helpful additions. Outside of the trade for WR Jerry Jeudy, LB Jordan Hicks was the lone new starter added to the roster.

Hicks is likely to take the place of LB Anthony Walker Jr. but the Browns also lost LB Sione Takitaki in free agency. LB Devin Bush Jr., a former first-round pick, was added in free agency but is likely more of a special teams player at this point.

Just days before the NFL draft, the Houston Texans are signing away another Cleveland free agent linebackers:

Phillips was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, the first in the Andrew Berry regime. Houston also signed Browns free agent CB Mike Ford this offseason.

Injuries, which plagued Phillips in college, continued to be a problem at the pro level for the former LSU Tigers athlete. He missed all of the 2023 season and played in just 20 games in his first three seasons.

The timing of the Phillips signing coincides with when most teams are finalizing their draft boards.

With Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Hicks likely starters, Bush is joined by Tony Fields II, Caleb Johnson, Mohamoud Diabate and Charlie Thomas III on Cleveland’s linebacker depth chart.