Browns CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu “close” to 100 percent

The Cleveland Browns may get a big addition to their secondary sooner rather than later, and even before the new NFL year starts on March 9. In an Instagram post Monday, Browns cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu indicated that he is “close” to returning to action.

Thank you lord for an amazing life and even more for the amazing people around me. Although this past year has had many ups and downs, I’m finally close to the point I want to be. Now it’s time to get better as a player and person. A lot of people have asked about my recovery. I’m not quite 100 yet but I’m close and in the next couple of weeks I’ll show you some of the progress I’ve made. Thank you everyone who has been following me through this journey.

A seventh-round selection (241st pick) by Cleveland in 2015, Ekpre-Olomu has yet to play a game in the NFL due to a torn ACL and dislocated knee he suffered in a practice in December 2014. Before the unfortunate injury, the cornerback was a first-team AP All-American as a junior and was widely considered one of the top cornerbacks in the 2015 draft class and was expected to be a first-round pick before his knee injury heading into his senior season.

Although the Browns knew that his first season in the NFL would be a “redshirt” year for the former Duck while he was recovering from his injury, they decided to sign the cornerback due to his future potential, and that signing could potentially pay off very soon. While he may have slipped to the seventh round, the Nigerian actually cashed in due to an insurance policy that he took out when he went back to Oregon to try and win a championship. Due to the fact that he was projected as a top-12 pick before his injury and was then drafted in the last round, Ekpre-Olomu cashed in on a record $3 million policy, which was the largest such settlement a college player has ever collected.

With cornerback Joe Haden allowing a near perfect passer rating in 2015 and the obvious struggles of second-year cornerbacks Justin Gilbert and Pierre Desir, Ekpre-Olomu could bring a much needed boost to the Browns’ secondary. If he can return to his pre-injury form, he could be the steal of the 2015 draft for the Browns.