Browns Shakeup Defensive Front After Cutting Super Bowl Champion

A month out from training camp teams are making their final moves to set up their 90-man rosters for positional competition through the coming month and a half. Thursday, the Cleveland Browns made a shocking decision in navigating that process. 

Cleveland released veteran pass rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo, signing kicker Andre Szmyt in a corresponding move. Okoronkwo was set to enter the final year of a three-year deal he signed back in 2022. 

The dead cap hit for the Browns comes in at just under $2 million. Given the post-June 1 designation his dead money will be spread across two seasons, costing the team $4.7 million in 2025. 

Okoronkwo had 37 solo tackles and 7.5 sacks in his two years with the Browns. He previously spent the first three years of his career with the Los Angeles Rams and won Super Bowl LVI before signing with the Houston Texans for the 2022 season. 

Okoronkwo had served as a rotational piece for this defense though Cleveland's pass rushing unit quickly became more crowded and a lot younger. The young contingent including Alex Wright, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Isaiah McGuire will all get an opportunity to make an impression through the coming weeks at camp. 

This all comes in the shadow of the biggest move of the Browns' offseason, signing defensive superstar Myles Garrett to a four-year $160 million extension. As of now that figure marks the largest annual salary for a defensive player in NFL history. 

He was slated to be the highest earning non quarterback in the league before the Cincinnati Bengals reset the record with an extension for Ja'Marr Chase weeks after Garrett's deal.