The Browns have made a depth addition on each side of the ball. The team announced Wednesday the signings of defensive end Isaac Rochell and receiver Javon Wims.
Rochell, who turns 27 on April 22, began his career with the Chargers. In four years there, he rarely started, but played a notable role in the team’s defensive front. His best season came in 2018, when he registered 29 tackles and five of his 9.5 career sacks.
His play earned him a deal from the Colts last offseason. The value of the one-year contract outweighed what the Chargers could have paid to keep him, but his production indicates letting him leave might have been the right decision. In 12 games, Rochell totaled 17 tackles and no sacks. Now, he will join a Browns team which just recently signed Stephen Weatherly.
Wims, 27, is also joining a new team for the second time in his career. A seventh-round pick of the Bears in 2018, he started seven of 33 games in Chicago. He recorded 18 receptions and 186 yards in 2019, but made just 10 total catches in his other two campaigns. After being waived by the Bears, he spent 2021 on the Raiders’ practice squad.
These deals likely won’t have any significant effect on Cleveland’s cap space, meaning that reunions with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Jarvis Landry are still possible. In any event, these two represent depth at key positions for a team looking to seriously contend in the AFC in 2022.
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