Cleveland Browns announce new defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
The Browns announced they have signed former Houston Texans defensive lineman Ogbonnia Okoronkwo Wednesday, the first day the official free-agency period opened.
The deal for Okoronkwo, which was originally reported on Monday, is for three years and $19 million. Of that, $12.5 million is guaranteed, with a maximum value of $22 million.
“Really excited to join the Cleveland Browns,” Okoronkwo said in a statement. “I am looking forward to adding to an already talented roster, while playing opposite of Myles Garrett, and to be coached by coach Schwartz in his system, where I’ve seen multiple players traditionally find success in it. I can’t wait to get it going and the goal is to bring a Super Bowl to the city of Cleveland.”
The Browns obviously have Myles Garrett at one end to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. However, they desperately needed another proven edge rusher to line up on the other side with Jadeveon Clowney’s expected departure in free agency.
The only other ends on the roster were 2022 draft picks Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas. That pair combined for one sack, by Thomas.
That’s where Okoronkwo, a former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year at the University of Oklahoma, comes into the picture. An outside linebacker when he was a 2018 fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams, he moved to defensive end when he signed with the Texans prior to last season.
What resulted was easily Okoronkwo’s best season. He played every regular-season game for the first time in his career, with a career-high 517 defensive snaps.
“Ogbo will fit in well with our defensive scheme,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said in a statement. “He’s a disruptive force and has capitalized when given opportunities. He has a lot of upside and we are happy that we are able to add him to our defense.”
Okoronkwo recorded 44 combined tackles, which was 29 more than in any other season in his career. He also set career highs with five sacks, nine tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits and two passes defensed.
Okoronkwo has played in 50 career regular-season and six playoff games, including Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in February 2022. He did not play at all the year he was drafted in 2018, but played at least 10 games each of his last three seasons with the Rams.
For his career, Okoronkwo has 78 combined tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits. He also has three forced fumbles and three passes defensed.
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