Four-year NFL defensive lineman, Takkarist McKinley, has signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. McKinley, a former second-round pick, spent last season four with both the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders. McKinley was the fifth defensive lineman selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Comp update: Takk McKinley done with Cleveland, 1-yr $4.25M base value and up to $6M. Signed to play opposite Myles Garrett. https://t.co/LIalf34GPs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2021
Takkarist McKinley, Cleveland Browns, Agree to Contract
Takkarist McKinley was once thought to be the next great defensive player for the Falcons. Instead, he found himself racking up more and more injuries as his career went on. To make matters worse, McKinley grew much more vocal about his displeasures with the Falcons as time passed. The Falcons finally released him in the middle of last season after McKinley complained on Twitter about not being traded.
McKinley initially entered the league in 2017 as the 26th overall pick of the NFL draft. Selected by the Atlanta Falcons, McKinley has logged 53 solo tackles and 17.5 sacks in four seasons. Additionally, he has registered 45 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. This has all come from a total of 25 career games started.
The best season of McKinley’s career was in 2018. McKinley also made his first career start in 2018. During this season, McKinley seemingly blossomed into a productive starter. He registered 15 quarterback hits and seven sacks on just eight starts. Sadly, it seems like injuries have held McKinley back from reaching his full potential.
After being cut by the Falcons, McKinley failed physicals with the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals before finally ending up with the Raiders. The Raiders would go on to immediately place McKinley on the injured reserve. Raiders coach Jon Gruden claimed McKinley was going to be a big part of the team’s future last season. In the end, McKinley was never healthy enough to see the field for the Raiders. It has been quite the journey for the former first-round pick.
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