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The Cleveland Browns have a roster spot to fill before the official start of training camp and brought in linebacker Noah Dawkins for a closer look.
Dawkins has spent time with four NFL teams since going undrafted in 2019. He originally signed with the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad before seeing action with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing in 10 games as a rookie. Dawkins has also seen time with the New York Jets and, most recently, with the Chicago Bears.
Dawkins played in the USFL last season with the Michigan Panthers. He collected 35 sacks and one interception.
Dawkins is known for his speed. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds during his pro day when he was coming out of The Citadel in 2019. He’s yet to show what he has as a starter in the NFL but could potentially find some work for the Browns on special teams or even work his way into the rotation at a position that carries some uncertainty for the Browns.
Dawkins was among a large group of players the Browns brought in for a workout. The club also got a closer look at offensive tackle Quinton Barrow, defensive tackle Jordan Williams, tight end Marcus Baugh, defensive end Levi Bell, linebackers Dillon Doyle and Clarence Hicks, guard Denzel Okafor and receivers Austin Watkins and Jahcour Pearson.
The Browns have an open roster spot after releasing former fourth-round pick Perrion Winfrey earlier in the week.
Browns Were Hit Hard by Injury at Linebacker
The Browns mostly stood pat at linebacker, bringing back most of their key players from a year ago at the position outside of Deion Jones. The Browns were hit hard by injury at the position a year ago, with five linebackers being placed on IR.
That group included Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki — starters who went down with serious injuries. Walker went down with a quad injury, while Takitaki suffered a torn ACL. Walker should be ready to go to start the season, while Takitaki might take some additional time to get back on the field.
“I am excited,” Takitaki said on an episode of Best Podcast Available. “The rehab process has been going well. I like where I am at. Just been rehabbing a ton and just trying to get back to physical form. I like where I am and feel we can make a big comeback. I am ready to help anywhere I can.”
Browns Want Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to Get Stronger
The Browns are also hoping that third-year linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can take a jump with his play, which has been inconsistent.
“Stronger. Just stronger. Just continue his progression,” Browns linebackers coach Jason Tarver said of Owusu-Koramoah. “Jeremiah? He’s fast. So he just needs to get really strong so he can explode through blockers and those things that he does really well. He will hit you, but it’s the strength to be able to do it play in and play out.”
Owusu-Koramoah graded out at 65.5 overall on Pro Football Focus last season, which was down from a strong rookie season (76.5). He’s an explosive piece of the defense and could be a nice weapon for new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to work with.
