Usually, professional athletes talk about going from the bottom to the top. Not so much the other way around. But that’s exactly what linebacker Mychal Kendricks is doing. The ex-Philadelphia Eagle has gone from winning a Super Bowl to the laughingstock of the league by signing a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. Further details of the contract (i.e.: salary figure) are not yet known.
Sources: The #Browns are signing free agent LB Mychal Kendricks to a 1-year deal, bolstering their linebacking group late in the offseason. Along with Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey, it could be one of the most talented in football.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 3, 2018
Before last season, Kendricks requested a trade from the Eagles as he was not happy with a dip in playing time. The trade never happened (obviously) and the linebacker begrudgingly accepted a more limited role in the name of winning.
After the season, however, Philadelphia released Kendricks. It may have come to a surprise to some how long it took him to sign elsewhere, but according to reports, he’s found his new home with the Browns. Several sources added that the Raiders and Vikings were among the teams vying for his services. (The Minnesota Vikings would have offered an interesting fit, given Mychal’s brother, Eric, plays there. Apparently, Mychal turned down the opportunity to be a part of the same unit as his sibling.)
The upcoming season will be Kendricks’ seventh NFL season since coming out of the University of California. He was taken with the 46th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft by Philadelphia.
Kendricks hasn’t played in all 16 regular season games in any season as a pro, but he hasn’t played in less than 12 in any of those, so he’s proven to be a durable and productive player. Apparently just not what the Eagles were looking for anymore.
His most productive statistical season came in 2013 when he recorded 86 solo tackles (with 27 assists) with four sacks. The linebacker’s production slipped, seeing a career-low 20 tackles (eight assists) and no sacks in 2016, before rebounding a bit in 2017 to the tune of 51 tackles (22 assists) and two sacks. Glancing over his career numbers, it’s no wonder why both he and the Eagles felt a new home might offer a chance to resurge a still-promising career for the 27-year-old.
