It has Freddie Kitchens at head coach, Mack Wilson at linebacker and Tosh Lupoi as defensive line coach; however, the Cleveland Browns want more representation of Alabama football.
For a franchise that made huge improvement last season, the expectation is to make the playoffs and possibly win the AFC North.
The Browns have a ton of offensive weapons – including the trigger man in Baker Mayfield – but it seems as though it could use some assistance up front.
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Per a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Cleveland had a pair of former Crimson Tide offensive linemen in for a workout.
This is a rarity: The #Browns are working out brothers today. Both free agent Arie and Cyrus Kouandjio are in Cleveland on workouts for them, I’m told.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 22, 2019
The Kouandjio brothers, Cyrus and Arie, are currently free agents.
Cyrus, the elder sibling, was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Buffalo Bills.
Arie, the younger brother, was taken in the fourth round of the following draft venue by the Washington Redskins. As natives of Cameroon, the brothers have bounced around the league some but hope to maybe find a new home with the Browns.
Cyrus Kouandjio played under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2011-13.
He started his final two seasons at left tackle and anchored a group that guided the Tide to a Southeastern Conference Championship and a BCS National Championship in 2012.
Behind Kouandjio, AJ McCarron tossed for 30 touchdowns at quarterback that year and the duo of Eddie Lacy (1,322) and T.J. Yeldon (1,108) totaled 1,000+ yards rushing.
His protection of McCarron also allowed for receiver Amari Cooper to record 1,000 yards and 11 scores.
During the 2013 season, Kouandjio helped McCarron turn in his first-ever 3,000-yard passing campaign (3,063) as he finished second behind James Winston (Florida State) for the Heisman Memorial Trophy.
He would also push Yeldon to his second straight 1,000-yard rushing mark.
Kouandjio was an All-American and first-team All-SEC selection in 2013.
As for Arie, the younger Kouandjio played from 2010-14.
He saw action in 40 career games, with 27 starts at left guard in 2013 and 2014. The brothers shared the field together from 2011 to 2013, and then Arie had it to himself in 2014.
He helped Blake Sims account for 3,487 passing yards, which stood as a school record for a single season – until Tua Tagovailoa surpassed him in 2018. Kouandjio protection of Sims guided him to 35 total scores and led to Cooper getting the single-season mark in receiving.
He was a second-team All-American in 2014 and first-teamer for the SEC.
Hopefully, the two young men will find a professional home soon.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
