Cleveland Browns Agree to Deal with LB Jerome Baker

As first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms with linebacker Jerome Baker. A native of Ohio who played at Benedictine High School and played collegiately at Ohio State, Baker has taken a winding road to the Browns. No terms have been disclosed.

Baker was a third round pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2018 draft. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie, starting 11. He recorded three sacks a pick six that season. In all, he played six seasons for the Dolphins, starting 82 and was able to stay on the field throughout his tenure. After the 2023 season, Baker signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent for $7 million. after fives games, the Seahawks ended up trading Baker to the Tennessee Titans for a fourth-round pick. He finished out the year appearing in five more games, starting three.

Now, Baker returns home in his eighth season. The appeal for the Browns is Baker's speed and range. Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator for the Browns covets these traits at the second level of his defense. Because of how aggressive he likes to play, he wants as much speed as he can get. That's particularly important at linebacker in cases where they might need to be able to make the defensive line right. On plays that can catch the defense in a bad spot, rangy linebackers can help mitigate the damage.

Baker isn't the only player the Browns have signed with local ties. The team also signed Baldwin Wallace graduate and defensive back Anthony Kendall to a contract this offseason. Kendall was a player the Browns liked the year he came out, but he ended up signing as an undrafted rookie with the Titans and found his way onto the field.

The Browns also re-signed Devin Bush at the linebacker level, so these two moves help to fortify their depth. Bush is able to play MIKE and Baker can play the WILL in this defensive scheme.

With no clarity on the situation around Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the Browns appear to be doing everything to cover their bases. They need to be prepared for a world in which JOK is unable to play. The contract for Baker may determine just how big of an insurance policy he represents. If it's a one-year deal with minimal dollars, it may allow for the possibility that JOK returns. If there's significant guaranteed dollars attached, it might indicate the team is preparing not to have their star linebacker this season.

Stay tuned to theOBR for further details.

The Cleveland Browns are continuing to do their research on quarterback prospects in the 2025 draft-their next Top 30 visit is with Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough. Shough spent three years at Oregon before transferring to Texas Tech, where he spent another three years. He decided to transfer again for his final year of eligibility in 2024, opting for Louisville. He's spent the last seven years in college football and will be 26 years old by the end of week 3 of the NFL regular season. 

In his lone year with the Cardinals, Shough posted a QBR of 75.0 and threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns to go along with six interceptions. He also had 42 carries for 19 yards and one touchdown. Shough has some intriguing qualities, showing good mobility and his ability to make throws off-platform. During the combine where many of the quarterbacks struggled to separate themselves, Shough stood out. 

There is an argument to be made that he would be worth a day 2 pick. But there's a major sticking point-Shough will be a huge outlier as a rookie, turning 26 on September 28th. Drafting a rookie who will by all intents and purposes be 26 by the time he starts playing consistently puts teams in a bind. If you're drafting him to sit, how long can you wait? For any team drafting him, that will be one of the leading questions. 

If you start him, he'll need to be fantastic pretty quickly. Teams won't be able to develop him on the same timeline as they would with a different quarterback like Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss and Jalen Milroe from Alabama.  Dart will be 22 for the entirety of his rookie season; Milroe will turn 23 in December. Both offer much more time to develop and they also offer more intriguing prospect profiles as well. Dart improved each season with the Rebels and has earned plenty of praise during the draft cycle. Milroe is an uber-athletic player who's already improving his footwork to quell concerns about his technique. I'd rather take a chance on one of them versus Shough. 

For fans, this feels like Brandon Weeden 2.0. Weeden was a little bit older, being drafted at 28 (!) years old, but still-let that fiasco be a lesson. How much can Shough improve when he's spent so long in college without ever really lighting things up? He'll need more development and patience than what the Browns can afford to do right now. If they take him late, then maybe I could get on board. A quarterback room of Shough, Pickett, and a third quarterback is a tough sell though. Maybe this is a sign that they want to draft two quarterbacks and make Shough a long-term backup. We'll find out more as draft season rolls on.