Sione Takitaki tells Browns he wants to re-sign with them
BEREA — Sione Takitaki seems to realize he likely lost millions of dollars when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and underwent season-ending knee surgery last month.
The Browns linebacker is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. March 15, when his rookie contract is slated to expire. He had been playing well until injury interfered Dec. 4 on the road against the Houston Texans.
“I feel like I have enough tape to end up landing on my feet eventually, so I’m not really worried,” Takitaki said Monday while Browns players cleaned out their lockers coming off a season-ending loss in Pittsburgh and a 7-10 finish.
“Obviously, it sucks. You know what I mean? I could have definitely got hooked up in the next contract, but I’m excited. I still got a lot of tape, and I bring a lot to the table.”
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The Browns know better than any other NFL franchise what Takitaki provides. In 2019, they drafted him in the third round (No. 80 overall) out of Brigham Young University, and Takitaki would like to continue to call Cleveland home.
“Yeah, I’ve already voiced my opinion,” Takitaki said. “I love Cleveland. I told them I want to be back, so we’ll see what the future holds.”
Takitaki’s comeback will be a deciding factor, along with how the new defensive coordinator of the Browns evaluates him. The franchise announced Monday morning it fired Joe Woods, who held the job the past three seasons.
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Takitaki revealed he underwent surgery Dec. 14, putting him on track for a mid-October return, if all goes well. He used crutches in the locker room Monday.
“I know I can be ready for the season,” he said. “I think it’s like 10 months from my surgery date, so that’s a lot of time, and the way I operate, the way I can get healthy, I’m confident.
“I’ve gotten on the bike. I was able to get the extension. Sometimes that takes about seven weeks, six weeks, for guys. I did it in three, so the surgery obviously went really well.”
Takitaki, 27, plans to rehabilitate his knee at Browns headquarters for at least the early portion of the offseason. He and fellow soon-to-be free agent Anthony Walker Jr. have been going through the process together. Walker suffered a season-ending torn quadriceps tendon Sept. 22 against the Steelers.
“I’m a free agent, obviously, as we all know,” Walker said. “That’s a topic of discussion for my agent and the GM, Andrew Berry. So we’ll see. I love to be here, I love Cleveland. I hate moving, packing up and moving. That’s one of my pet peeves. But it’ll be exciting if I’m able to be back here.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business, though. I know, I understand that. When I was a younger guy, I probably didn’t understand that as much. I remember my coach my rookie year was like, ‘The team won’t look the same next year,’ and it was literally a whole different team. And that’s what the NFL is.”
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Like Takitaki and Walker, three other Browns linebackers ended the season on injured reserve: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (foot), Jacob Phillips (pectoral muscle) and Jordan Kunaszyk (hand).
“I’ve really never been [seriously] injured my whole career, so it was kind of like, ‘Man, what? This is not normal,’” Takitaki said. “Then I was bummed — definitely bummed — but this is the situation and now recovery process. I’m excited for the future.”
In 12 games, including eight starts, Takitaki compiled 69 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble last season. ProFootballFocus.com ranked him 33rd among the 84 qualifying linebackers it graded in 2022.
Browns coaches and players have raved about Takitaki and lamented losing him with five games remaining.
“It means a lot, man,” he said. “I love this team. Love all the coaches, my teammates, everybody that I’ve been in contact with. So that means a lot for sure.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected].
On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
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