The Cleveland Browns have released linebacker Christian Kirksey, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Kirksey played in just two games this past season due to a chest injury. It marked the second straight year that he ended the season on the injured reserve list, as he was knocked out after just seven contests in 2018 as a result of a hamstring issue.
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Iowa, was originally selected by the Browns in the third round (71st pick overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.
He participated in every game during his rookie campaign, registering 81 tackles, a couple of sacks and a forced fumble. He posted similar numbers in 2015, finishing with 63 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Then, in his third season, Kirksey broke out, becoming a full-time starter and racking up 148 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He had another tremendous year in 2017, rattling off 138 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Ironically enough, Kirksey did not miss a game over his first four NFL seasons, but since then, he has had a lot of difficulty staying on the field, which is why Cleveland decided to cut him with two years left on his contract.
Thanks to a busy 2019 offseason in which the Browns added Odell Beckham Jr., Kareem Hunt and several defensive players, many had the club pegged as a Super Bowl contender going into this past year.
However, the Browns ended up being one of the league's most disappointing teams, going just 6-10 and missing the playoffs.
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