He's on a team that certainly believes in him, too. The attempts to acquire McKinley last year prove that, but it's notable he was the first player Berry picked to address one of the biggest positions of need the Browns had this offseason.
Cleveland released veteran defensive end Adrian Clayborn while nine-year veteran Olivier Vernon remains a free agent. Both played most of the defensive end snaps opposite from Pro Bowler Myles Garrett on the defensive line in 2020, and if the Browns were going to move on from either Clayborn or Vernon, they needed to find a viable replacement.
McKinley was their first addition. He's fully healthy and embracing a fresh start for a team that believes he can flourish in its defensive schemes.
"It means a lot," he said. "This league is not promised. To know that a team sees what I'm worth, sees what I can do and really believes in me, that means the world."
It's easy to see why McKinley could be a great fit for Cleveland. With Garrett, who recorded 12 sacks last season and is among the best defensive players in the NFL, on the other side of the defensive line, an offense's main focus will never be exclusively on McKinley.
That's not a knock on any of his talents. But if a team chooses to double-team Garrett, that's one less person who will have to block McKinley, who proved in his first two NFL seasons he has plenty of explosiveness to drive through one player.
"You've got a dog on the other side of you," McKinley said about himself. "You've got someone who is going to battle for you, go hard, go 100 percent. I've been showing a lot of flashes in my career, and it's all about being consistent now. I'm excited to team up with Myles, Sheldon Richardson and this defense and continue to get better."
It took some waiting, but the Browns finally acquired their guy. They're offering McKinley the opportunity he was searching for, and he's confident he won't let them down.
"I can't wait to get out on the field," he said. " I can't wait to prove it to myself and show everyone that it was a smart decision to bring me here."
March 29, 2021 at 09:41PM
https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/takkarist-mckinley-calls-signing-with-browns-easy-decision-for-fresh-start
Takkarist McKinley calls signing with Browns 'easy decision' for fresh start - clevelandbrowns.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=easy&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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