The Cleveland Browns released linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk on Tuesday in a minor roster move.
Kunaszyk wasn’t a large contributor for the Browns last season but did appear in 15 games, starting a pair with Cleveland hit hard by injuries at the linebacker position. In all, Kunaszyk had 22 tackles with a forced fumble and pass defended.
Kunaszyk previously played with the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers, although his experience came almost exclusively on special teams. The Browns decided to sign Kunaszyk after a tryout in August.
Kunaszyk had a solid career with Cal in college despite going undrafted. In his final season, he made 148 tackles —11 for loss — with four sacks and five forced fumbles. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 Conference and second-team All-America by Sports Illustrated.
Browns Under New Direction Under Jim Schwartz
The Browns have a new defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz and there will likely be a lot more shuffling on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. Schwartz has some talent to work with but is looking to breathe new life into a unit that was wildly inconsistent last season.
The Browns will need to reconstruct their front seven but the veteran defensive mind knows what he’s looking to fill their “attack” defense.
“There are certain skill sets we look for and a little bit of play style that maybe other people might not appreciate as much,” Schwartz told the Browns’ official site. “They might use the person a little bit differently, and something that’s sort of involved in that scheme is that we can get guys going pretty quickly.
“I think that if we all work together, we can find some productive players regardless of (if they’re in) the first round, or as a high-priced free agent or anything else.”
It also helps that Schwartz has sack-machine Myles Garrett to build around. Garrett is coming off a Pro Bowl season where he notched 16 sacks.
“I have a little spot on my wall in my office that says, ‘Anything that gets Myles Garrett one-on-one is a good scheme,'” Schwartz said. “If we can get our best players in one-on-one and create matchups for those guys, we’ll be in a pretty good place, particularly with guys like Myles.”
Bigger Name Casualties Could Be Coming for Browns
The Browns will have to make some tough decisions on the defensive side of the ball as they look to build up their cap space. A common name that has come up as a cut candidate is veteran safety John Johnson III, who has not lived up to the big contract he signed with the Browns in 2021.
Zac Jackson of The Athletic painted an uncertain future for Johnson going into the heart of the offseason.
“…safety John Johnson III has about $12 million in guaranteed money left on his contract. Will the Browns pay Johnson that money and hope for a big season from him? Or will they use the post-June 1 designation, cut Johnson and take cap hits over multiple years? It feels like Johnson won’t be back, but the Browns would then need another starting safety,” Jackson wrote.
Johnson had 101 tackles and an interception last season but hasn’t been able to show off the versatility the Browns hoped to see when he inked a three-year, $33.75 million contract. But as Jackson notes, they’d have to find another starting-caliber alternative if he’s out of the picture.
Comments
Browns Cut Linebacker as Defensive Rebuild Takes Shape