CLEVELAND, OHIO – The fourth time was charm.
The Browns submitted three requests to waive the defensive end Takk McKinley last season, but never did. They picked it up this time, agreeing to Tuesday’s terms in a $ 4.25 million one-year contract with the Raiders’ fifth-year free agent. He can earn up to $ 6 million with bonuses and incentives.
McKinley, 25, became expendable for the Raiders on Monday when they agreed to a two-year contract with Ravens’ top rusher, Yannick Ngakoue, for a guaranteed $ 26 million. Ngakoue, with whom the Browns tried to negotiate last season, was on the radar again this off-season.
He is the second free agent that the Browns defender has agreed to since the start of the negotiating period on Monday. The first was former Rams security guard John Johnson, who was his number 1 target at the free agency.
McKinley is not the dashing renown who most thought the Browns would hire a free agency, but they hope he can put his career back on track here. On the first day of the trading period, they saw cutting-edge pass-rushers like Shaq Barrett, Carl Lawson, Ngakoue, Bud Dupree, Trey Hendrickson, Matt Judon and Romeo Okwara flying out of the market.
McKinley was chosen 26th at UCLA by the Falcons in 2017, and he fell out of favor with Atlanta, and they dismissed him on November 11th. The Browns claimed him then, and after he failed physical exams with the Bengals and 49ers the following week because of a groin injury.
He was finally claimed by the Raiders on November 23 and placed in the wounded reserve on November 27. He was assigned to return on December 15, but Raiders coach Jon Gruden said he announced on December 20 that he would not be activated. Gruden also said last season that McKinley, 25, was a big part of the Raiders’ future, but they chose not to hire him again when Ngakoue came on board.
He arrives in Cleveland with 17.5 bags in his four seasons and some luggage. He didn’t start out as a rookie, but played in all 16 games, registering six sacks, which was fourth place in the NFL among the rookies that year and second in Falcons for Adrian Clayborn, who was dismissed by the Browns last week.
McKinley set his career record with three sacks in his 2018 loss to Bengals Week 4, but ended the year with just four more sacks for a total of seven. He finally became a full-time starter in 2019, but recorded only 3.5 sacks that season.
When the season was over, the Falcons refused to choose their fifth year option. He lost 20 pounds in the off-season, saying the scorn option ‘lit a fire’ under him.
“It was an alert,” McKinley said during the training camp, via the official Falcons website. “It was more motivating, it made me hungry. I’m not saying I wasn’t hungry in the past, but I just need to prove it. “
In November 2020, McKinley made public his request to be traded on Twitter, claiming that the Falcons declined a second-round choice for him and other offers. Interim coach Raheem Morris told reporters that “Takk will definitely be held responsible for his actions and for everything that comes with them”. The Falcon dismissed him shortly thereafter.
Browns GM, Andrew Berry, has been keeping an eye on McKinely since he assessed Garrett and other killers in the 2017 draft. If the Browns manage to train another season of McKinley’s seven sack, the $ 4 million will be worth it.
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