Former first-round bust Takkarist McKinley vows to be better with Browns

Takkarist McKinley fell out of favor with the Atlanta Falcons last fall and then failed physicals with both the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers before ending the 2020 season on injured reserve with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

The 2017 first-round pick who tallied 13 sacks his first two seasons was given a chance to resurrect his NFL career when he signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns earlier this week. On Friday, he vowed to work to return to form with his new employer. 

"When I came into this league at draft night, I was really hungry," McKinley explained when speaking with reporters, per Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. "I was not relaxed. I was all about just getting after it. I felt like these last couple of years, specifically probably 2018-2019, I kind of lost myself. I lost the way I play the game. I just lost a lot.

"Now I am back, I have a great mindset and I have a great team around me. Now it is just to continue to improve, continue to talk to people, continue to get help and just continue to grow and be a better person, a better player and just better overall." 

McKinley wore a button-up shirt, jacket and peach tie for the Zoom videoconference. He later added: 

"This league is not promised. It is a privilege to be here talking to you. I feel like I am at the point in my career where if I want to be in this league, I need to start acting like it. Today it was not to look good, but it was for myself and everybody else to know I mean nothing but business." 

Both sides stand to benefit if McKinley matches his output from his first 31 regular-season games. He could sign a big-money deal 12 months from now, and the Browns would have an elite pass-rusher on a team-friendly contract as they look to do more than just qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year.