The key players on the Browns’ defensive line have been at their job for a long time in football years.
Myles Garrett is in his seventh season. This is year nine for Z’Darius Smith, the seventh year for Dalvin Tomlinson, the 10th for Shelby Harris and the sixth season for Ogbo Okoronkwo.
All that experience is helpful to rookie third-round draft pick Siaki Ika because he can learn from the veterans. But for the 6-foot-3, 335-pound defensive tackle from Baylor it can also feel like jumping into advanced calculus class when it comes to being coached. Garrett and the rest don’t need to be taught the basics as Ika might.
“It can be overwhelming,” Ika admitted after practice Aug. 24 in Berea. “I mean, it’s a hard situation to be in. You have a lot of guys around you who know how things are going to be, and then there are maybe three or four guys who haven’t been around and they don’t know how things are, so it could be hard.
The beginning of training camp “was rough” for Siaki Ika, but the rookie defensive tackle from Baylor is a quick learner. #Browns pic.twitter.com/T8TKkEUu86
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) August 24, 2023
“But for me, since I was young, I’ve always been thrown into things like this. My freshman year in college, I was forced to play early, so adjust to the speed of things and kind of put up or shut up, really.”
Ika played on 49 percent (31) of the plays the Browns’ defense was on the field Aug. 18 in the 18-18 tie with the Philadelphia Eagles. He assisted on one tackle.
Ika could get plenty of playing time Aug. 26 when the Browns visit the Chiefs in Kansas City for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The starters are expected to play 20-25 plays. The rest of the game will belong to the backups.
“We’re supposed to improve during the season and get better as the year goes on, and a lot of rookies play better at the end of the year or in the middle of the year than he did in week one or week two.” defensive line coach Ben Bloom said. “Like Siaki, he’s done enough and demonstrated enough that we just keep getting better. We’ll be just fine, but we’re going to have to keep working.”
Ika wasn’t drafted to start. He will be part of the rotation or might even be inactive some Sundays as he continues to learn. Had this been 2022, he would probably play before he is ready. But defensive tackle is the most fortified position on the team with the additions of Maurice Hurst, Trysten Hill, Tomlinson and Harris. Ika has been a sponge soaking in what he can learn from the vets.
“There are a lot of little things,” Ika said. “From recovery tips to what they do on their off days to how they watch film — a lot of little details. I feel like the biggest difference between college and the pros is they take the little things and they do it so much that it’s just second nature. So taking advantage of every area that we can get better in.”
The preseason game with the Chiefs will be the final time players are tested in a competitive setting before the roster is trimmed to 53 players on Aug. 29.
Browns at Chiefs
When: 1 p.m., Aug. 26
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
Records: Browns 1-1-1, Chiefs 1-1
TV: WEWS; Radio: WKRK-FM 92.3, WNCX-FM 98.5, WKNR-AM 850
