Browns' visit with veteran LB seems to confirm Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's status

Jerome Baker could be a solid LB to add to the room.

The Cleveland Browns have yet to say, well, anything about the availability of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah this coming year. In 2024, Owusu-Koramoah suffered a very scary neck injury in a game against the Baltimore Ravens, and the promising young defender's season ended very quickly.

Since that injury, Owusu-Koramoah has apparently been rehabbing his injury but, has yet to return to football activities. As a result, there's been speculation amongst fans that, maybe, he'll never get back on the field considering the severity of neck injuries in the NFL. Whatever he decides to do should be keeping his longterm health in mind, so hopefully, he makes the right call about his future.

That said, Cleveland may be starting to evaluate their options at LB beyond Devin Bush and their few promising, younger depth pieces at the position. And, they've apparently visited with one linebacker this free agency period that could be a great, veteran addition to the room.

Jerome Baker and Browns met this offseason

Jerome Baker, an eight year veteran in the NFL who has played with the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans, reportedly met with the Browns about a potential signing.

The Cleveland native had some really great years with the Miami Dolphins, but has dealt with some injuries that have kept his snaps limited over the last several seasons. He only played in 10 games in 2024. But, he's only 28 years old, and he could be an interesting piece to slot in alongside Bush in the Browns' defense.

With this visit, it feels imminent that we'll hear about Owusu-Koramoah's future with Cleveland - and, that future sounds like it won't involve any Browns football in 2025. If that's the case, the Browns have a super solid linebacker room headed into the season. Bush, Winston Reid, Mohamoud Diabate, Jordan Hicks, and Nathaniel Watson all did well when called upon this season.

Diabate, Hicks, and Reid were especially inspiring, with Hicks finishing the year with a 77.4 PFF grade. Defense is, fortunately, not something Cleveland has to worry about too much this offseason, especially as it pertains to their pass rushing core. It's their secondary that really saw a step back this past season, but that's something that could be addressed in the draft.

Baker can likely be had for a cheap, one-year deal. As Cleveland has yet to spend their cap on a starting veteran quarterback this offseason, they might as well continue to add on the margins. That's especially the case if it means they can add insurance for Owusu-Koramoah's potential long-term absence.