NFL Notes: Browns, Buccaneers, Redskins, & Titans

Browns

Browns CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu announced via his Instagram account that he’s getting close to be being 100 healthy from the knee injury he suffered a few years ago.

Thank you lord for an amazing life and even more for the amazing people around me. Although this past year has had many ups and downs, I’m finally close to the point I want to be. Now it’s time to get better as a player and person. A lot of people have asked about my recovery. I’m not quite 100 yet but I’m close and in the next couple of weeks I’ll show you some of the progress I’ve made. Thank you everyone who has been following me through this journey.

Ekpre-Olomu was considered first-round talent before the injury. However, he did take out an insurance policy that paid him $3 million.

Buccaneers

• The Buccaneers have hired Broncos national scout John Spytek as their director of player personnel. (Rick Stroud)
• Alex Marvez reports that the Buccaneers have promoted Brian McLaughlin from team operations assistant to scouting assistant.

Redskins

• John Keim of ESPN considers the Redskins’ need for defensive line help as “high.”
  Keim mentions that they need to get younger up front on defensive.
• In regards to impending free agent DT Terrance Knighton, Keim believes the only way he returns is if they can’t find another nose tackle and he agrees to drop some weight.
• Keim lists Muhammad Wilkerson, Malik Jackson Damon Harrison, Jaye Howard, and Ian Williams as potential free agents targets who would make sense for Washington if they’re available.
• As for the draft, Keim suggests Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama’s Jarran Reed and Louisiana Tech’s Vernon Butler as a few names to watch.

Titans

Titans HC Mike Mularkey said they want to get QB Marcus Mariota more involved a runner next year.

“[M]y first time as a coordinator was in Pittsburgh with Kordell Stewart, and we were very good with him running the football,” Mularkey said, via Pro Football Talk. “Designed runs for the quarterback, and my feelings are he can protect himself much better running the football than he can standing in the pocket, and you’ve seen it over time. We’re not going to run him like they run Cam Newton with some of these designed counter plays and things up the middle that are gonna expose him by any means, but I think he’s such a threat in the run game for defenses. It just gives you an advantage.”