The Browns have three established starters at linebacker with Jamie Collins at strongside, Chris Kirksey at weakside and Joe Schobert at middle. Kirksey and Schobert played every defensive snap last season and Collins 30.9 percent.
So where does that leave Mychal Kendricks, who officially signed with the Browns on Monday?
“We’ll start him out in the middle,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said Tuesday, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “As you know, [defensive coordinator] Gregg [Williams] plays a lot of different packages so he’ll be a little bit at every place. He’s very bright. He can learn it all. When he walks out there, he’ll start in the middle.”
Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles on May 22, sat out practice Tuesday while recovering from minor ankle surgery in March. Collins also didn’t participate while recovering from surgery last season to repair a torn MCL.
Whenever he is healthy, Kendricks said he will play wherever the Browns want him. He is capable of playing any of the linebacker positions.
“I’m here to do whatever’s asked of me, and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability,’' Kendricks said. “And as long as I’m on that field, I’m going to make some stuff happen. I promise.”