Anthony Walker eager to play with ‘elite QB’
CLEVELAND — New Browns linebacker Anthony Walker glanced down at his phone shortly after his one-year deal was announced, and there was a text from Baker Mayfield.
“Obviously when you’ve got the franchise quarterback reaching out to you when you first sign and know that you’re becoming a part of the team, it’s always nice to get that welcome, so I was definitely appreciative of him for that,’’ Walker said on his introductory Zoom press conference Monday.
Mayfield has made it a point to welcome all the new players, and Walker, who intercepted Mayfield in the Browns’ 32-23 victory over the Colts on Oct. 11, has been a big fan for years. In fact, he warned his teammates for their meeting last season that Mayfield was a force to be reckoned with.
“It’s funny, one of my teammates texted me the other day and was like ‘Oh I see why you were defending Baker Mayfield in our locker room because you wanted to go play for Cleveland,’” Walker said with a laugh. “I told them before, Baker Mayfield impressed me in college. The way he played at Oklahoma, obviously he always had that chip on his shoulder being a walk-on and all of that stuff, and nothing but much respect to him for that.”
Walker, who studies film tirelessly and distributes notes to his teammates, was impressed with Mayfield’s skillset from the jump.
“Honestly, for me, I know he can make every throw,” Walker said. “That was the first thing I wrote down is that he can make every throw. Out of the pocket, in the pocket, we had to make
Free agent linebacker Anthony Walker agreed to sign a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Cleveland, which has improved its secondary, pass rush and linebacking corps this week in free agency.
sure we got to him as much as we could with our front four, because obviously the talent at receiver and tight end is really crazy when you talk about the Cleveland Browns.”
Another close friend texted him and said “you’re going to play the Warriors on offense,” so for us, going into that game, we had to make sure we got pressure with our front four and everybody was disciplined in our zone and man coverages. When you’re playing against an elite quarterback, you have to make sure that the front and the back end are working together and that was our main topic that week.
“Obviously, the plays he made in the first half didn’t surprise me, but to see him make the throws out of the pocket, rolling out, just the way he took control of the game early on and then obviously being able to hold on at the end, he played a great football game against us so yeah, nothing but respect for Baker.’’
A fifth-round pick of the Colts out of Northwestern in 2017, Walker also appreciated the outpouring of support from his former teammates
such as All-Pro Darius Leonard, who hated to see him go and tweeted “I wouldn’t be me without him.”
Players weren’t the only ones sad to see Walker go. Colts GM Chris Ballard also lamented his departure.
“I’ve got a special relationship with Anthony Walker,” Ballard told reporters before free agency. “Selfless, team guy, rare leader. I hope he gets into coaching or scouting one day. Mark my words, Anthony Walker, if he gets into coaching, will be a head coach in the National Football League some day, and if he gets into scouting, he’ll be a general manager. He’s brilliant. He’s absolutely brilliant, and he’s made of the right stuff.’’
As the season wore on Walker lost playing time to his younger replacement Bobby Okereke, the Colts’ third-round pick in 2019. Walker played 68% of the snaps in 2020, but less than 50% in each of final three games, and only 18 snaps for 31% in their 27-24 loss to the Bills in the playoffs.
Still, Walker, 25, will be missed not only for his locker room presence, but for his value as almost another coach on the field.