Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. embraces Deshaun Watson, believes defense will ascend

Anthony Walker Jr. couldn't see his father while they spoke by phone, but the emotions were understood.

“I'm pretty sure he dropped a tear,” Walker, who's preparing for his second season with the Browns, told the Beacon Journal last week.

Walker's dad, Anthony Walker Sr., is a first-year head football coach at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, Florida. The elder Walker was taken aback when he received word quarterback Deshaun Watson had pledged to donate $50,000 to the Pace football program.

Watson also gave teammate Walker a Rolex watch and committed to buy him suits for game days next season. The gifts were Watson's way of thanking Walker for voluntarily surrendering jersey No. 4 to the QB through a welcoming text message after the Browns had traded for Watson on March 18. Walker will wear No. 5 after donning No. 4 last season.

“All the gestures that he did were very meaningful to me,” Walker said during a phone interview. “I don't know how he got those ideas.”

Watson presented Walker with the boxed Rolex in front of media members May 25 after an organized team activity practice. The scene was awkward because Walker had been conducting a news conference — something Watson hasn't done since his Browns introduction on March 25.

The franchise acquired Watson from the Houston Texans despite the three-time Pro Bowl selection facing 22 civil lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments. A 23rd lawsuit accusing Watson of sexual misconduct was filed May 31, and the lead attorney of the plaintiffs, Tony Buzbee filed a 24th suit Monday.

Watson has denied all wrongdoing. Two Texas grand juries combined in March to decline to indict him on 10 criminal complaints, but the NFL is investigating him and could dole out a suspension under its personal conduct policy.

Walker explained why he chose to embrace Watson amid all of the legal trouble.

“For me, just allow him to be himself around us. I think that's with everybody in the locker room,” Walker said. “Deshaun, playing against him for four years, understanding the player that he is, I understand that he's a winner, and he's a leader on the field. With him coming into the locker room, it was like, 'This is your team,' and I'm pretty sure everybody thought that way. There was no doubt in my mind that guys welcomed him with open arms.

“Outside of football, that's not stuff we can comment on, but obviously being in the locker room with him every day, seeing him come to work every day and show up and be present in the moment and be the leader that we expect him to be as a quarterback, yeah, he's been all of that.”

Cleveland Browns defense will be counted on even more if NFL were to suspend Deshaun Watson

Yet the Browns also know Watson might miss games as a result of the allegations hanging over him, and, in theory, the more time he misses, the steeper their climb to the playoffs would be, unless the team manages to win a good amount without him. The offense would need to answer the bell with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, but Walker and his fellow defenders would probably need to do the heaviest lifting.

All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett summarized the notion last week when he said, “The only thing that matters to me is if [Watson is] playing every game … and what we need to do to step up as a defense if he isn’t.”

Newcome has chance to contribute to Cleveland defense: Chase Winovich bullish on Browns trade: 'It could be the best thing to ever happen to me'

The defense is a worthy source of optimism in Walker's eyes.

“It's all about how we start,” said Walker, who spent four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before signing with the Browns last year and then re-signing with them in March. “We showed spurts, especially later in the season, of how we can be a great defense, but at the end of the day, we've got to start better.

“That's starting Week 1 and starting games faster, finishing games better, and third-down defense and red-zone defense, I thought we got better, but when you want to be an elite defense, a championship defense, you've got to get off the field on third down and you've got to hold teams to field goals instead of touchdowns in the red zone. I think we have the tools, I think we have the guys to get it done. We've just got to go out and execute.”

The Browns had nine new starters on the defensive side of the ball when they opened the 2021 season, which ended with a disappointing record of 8-9 despite the defense jelling and, for the most part, excelling in the second half of the schedule. Among the NFL's 32 teams, the Browns ranked fifth in fewest yards surrendered (311.5) and tied for 13th in fewest points (21.8) allowed per game.

In terms of personnel, this year is much different. Tackles Malik Jackson and Malik McDowell and nickelback Troy Hill are the only starters who aren't back under defensive coordinator Joe Woods.

“The continuity that we built last year and this offseason definitely is going to help us when we step on the field as a unit,” Walker said. “Guys understand the system.”

In recent OTAs — practice will resume with a light session Monday morning before the team's golf outing — Jacob Phillips has been practicing as the first-team middle linebacker with Walker rotating into the role and dabbling at weakside linebacker.

Anthony Walker Jr.'s role could be evolving during Cleveland Browns OTAs

Versatility has long been a priority for Walker, who had a team-high 113 tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and two passes defensed in 13 games last season.

In high school, he played safety in addition to wide receiver and backup quarterback for his dad, who had a long run as Pace's offensive coordinator. He became a linebacker at Northwestern University, playing primarily in the middle during his NFL career, but also manning the weakside spot for the Colts when three-time All-Pro Darius Leonard missed time due to injury.

“I've always prided myself on being a linebacker — not just a MIKE linebacker, a WILL linebacker or a SAM linebacker,” Walker said. “Jacob has done the same thing. Obviously, he's shown flashes where he can play MIKE, he can play WILL in this defense, and I think that is definitely going to be a key role for us going into the season.”

Phillips is among the young Browns players Walker is mentoring. Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Greg Newsome II are others, and they're both coming off strong rookie seasons.

“Last year, [Owusu-Koramoah] was just playing football the way he knew how without even thinking what defense are we playing or anything like that,” Walker said. “He was just playing ball. Now he's understanding the game, and that's going to just make him play that extra step faster than he already is.

“For me to say that is crazy, but for him to understand what he's doing and understand where he fits in this defense, he can make even more plays. I don't know if it's night and day, but you guys will see a different version of him this year.”

"I'm still sick": Browns star Myles Garrett not staying quiet about Uvalde school shooting

Dynamic duo intact at defensive end: Myles Garrett happy Jadeveon Clowney is back with Browns: 'I told him to get his ass here'

Walker and Newsome are particularly close because they both played at Northwestern.

“Greg's just taking that new role [at nickelback after Hill was traded], being able to be versatile and play outside and inside, taking that next step and adding that to his game,” Walker said. “We've got a great secondary room, and when you can get all three of those guys on the field — [cornerbacks] Greedy [Williams], Greg and Denzel [Ward] — it's definitely going to make us a much harder defense to throw the ball on.”

"Everything comes full circle": David Njoku, Cleveland Browns happy to have future settled

Walker recently joined other defensive teammates on a trip to Miami organized by Garrett. They left Thursday with the intent to bond and work out together like much of the offense did during a Bahamas getaway hosted by Watson last month. At least some of the defenders' training took place at House of Athlete in Weston, Florida, where Garrett and other D-linemen went last summer.

Walker envisions a closer defense ascending.

“I'm excited. We've got the pass rushers, the DBs and the linebackers,” Walker said. “I think if we can stop the run and get teams to third-and-long, we'll put ourselves at a great advantage.”

A vote of confidence on the offensive line: Why Browns O-lineman Wyatt Teller says Nick Harris is 'perfect man for the job' at center

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Why Browns' Anthony Walker Jr. welcomes Deshaun Watson