AFC North linebackers ranked from worst to best in 2023
- The Steelers have fully re-vamped their linebacker group for 2023.
- It's a youthful but exciting group in Cleveland.
- Roquan Smith is the best linebacker in the division.
- The combination of Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt gives the Bengals a strong group.
3. Cleveland Browns
Linebacker group: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Anthony Walker Jr, Sione Takitaki, Jacob Phillips, Tony Fields II, Matthew Adams
The future of the Browns linebacker group is undeniably Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The second-round selection is part of the new breed of hybrid linebackers taking the league by storm. His athleticism means he is a true three-down player. His PFF coverage grade of 73.4 shows how versatile he is, but his missed tackle rate of 14.9% highlights that his size does give him some limitations.
Anthony Walker had a strong first season in Cleveland, only for his second year to be curtailed after suffering a quad injury in Week 3. He should be back to full health and pair nicely with JOK. He has overtaken the more physical Sione Takitaki, who will now offer decent cover for the starting pair.
Jacob Phillips and Tony Fields will round out what is an extremely young group. Fields was billed as the poor man’s Owusu-Koamoah and has the athletic ability to play off-ball and drop into coverage. Phillips lacked experience coming out of LSU but has the potential to develop as a backup.
For now, the Browns can feel slightly aggrieved to be in third place. It’s only experience that holds this group back from being higher, but it’s fair to think they could form one of the best groups within a couple of years.