Kendricks denies he’s near deal with Browns

Free agent Mychal Kendricks is saying a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network claiming the Browns are close to signing the former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker is untrue.

Kendricks played in 15 games with 13 starts for the Eagles in the 2017 regular season. He recorded 51 tackles and two sacks.

Kendricks visited the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders on his freeagent tour before meeting with the Browns on June 1.

The Pioneer Press in St. Paul, Minn., quoted Kendricks in a phone interview on June 3.

“No, it’s not accurate,” The Pioneer Press quotes Kendricks saying regarding Kendricks signing with the Browns. “I don’t know who the (expletive) said that. That (expletive) is (expletive). Whoever said that (expletive) is (expletive). That’s all I have to say, man. I’m not really talking to anybody else about it. It’s (expletive). I don’t like people like that. I don’t respect people like that. And that’s all I have to say. Thank you.”

The same article says Kendrick’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, regards the Browns as the favorite to land the Eagles’ 2012 secondround draft pick, but that a deal has not been reached.

Kendricks is coming off a torn medial collateral ligament. If he joins the Browns, he would be going from the Super Bowl champions to the second team in NFL history to finish a season 0-16. The Browns were winless last year after going 1-15 in 2016.

The Browns finished 14th overall defensively despite going 0-16, but they were 31st in points allowed. The hope is a deeper group of linebackers can change that number for the better.

Jamie Collins is coming off a torn ACL that forced him to spend the last seven games of 2017 on injured reserve. He missed three games earlier in the season with a concussion. Collins returned to practice during OTAs last week on a limited basis after missing the first week of spring practice.

Collins, Kendricks and Christian Kirksey would give the Browns a formidable crew at outside linebacker if all three are healthy. It is possible defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can find ways to get all three linebackers on the field at the same time.

A deal with Kendricks, if it happens, could be announced on June 4 once he passes his physical.

The Eagles released Kendricks on May 22 rather than pay him $5.85 million in base salary in 2017.

In addition to starting 13 games in the regular season, Kendricks started three games in the playoffs on Philadelphia’s march to the Super Bowl. He made four tackles in the Eagles’ 41-33 triumph over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.