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CLEVELAND (AP) The Browns' front-to-back defensive makeover paused in the middle on Friday. Free agent linebacker Antony Walker agreed to sign a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Cleveland, which has improved its secondary, pass rush and linebacking group this week in free agency with an eye on making a deeper playoff run next season. The 25-year-old Walker started 46 games at inside linebacker over the past three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. He visited the Browns' headquarters on Thursday. Walker, who had 92 tackles and an interception last season, will replace B,J. Goodson and assume signal-calling duties for coordinator Joe Woods. In the past few days, Browns general manager Andrew Berry has totally revamped a defense that needed major work. He addressed a void in the secondary by signing safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill, both of whom played on the Rams' No. 1 ranked defense last season. Berry got another edge rusher in Takk McKinley, a 2017 first-round draft pick who said Friday on a Zoom call that he was ''lost'' the past two years and has grown up. And, Berry fortified the club's linebacking group by landing Walker and re-signing Super Bowl 48 MVP Malcolm Smith and backup Elijah Lee. After signing his three-year, $33.75 million deal, Johnson said it's exciting to join a rising team with young stars. ''You talk about coming from the No. 1 defense, you have Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey,'' he said. ''I see Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett as the same thing. What I see right now is just a lot of guys who can play football, who love to football and who have played great football. ''I just want to come in and be a leader and just give them tips that I have learned over my career and things that I saw even last year that got us to such a great defense, a top-ranked defense. I just want to be a guy that people can just feel my vibe and it will rub off on people.'' Berry didn't forget about special teams and re-signed kicker Cody Parkey, who was steady and mostly straight for the Browns last season. The 29-year-old Parkey took over after the team's kicking duties when Austin Siebert was released following a missed field goal and extra point in the season-opening loss at Baltimore. Parkey is perhaps best known for missing a field-goal attempt for Chicago in an NFC wild-card game after the 2018 season that was partially blocked before it hit one upright and the crossbar in the final seconds. He didn't have any major issues for the Browns in 2020, making 19 of 22 attempts and going 3 of 3 and making all eight extra points in playoff games against Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Parkey was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season for Philadelphia and spent two seasons with the Eagles. He's also been with Miami, Chicago and Tennessee. He kicked for Cleveland in 2016, making 20 of 25 field goals in 14 games. --- More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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