The defensive line received a boost on the first day of the legal tampering period.
The Cleveland Browns believe they have found their replacement for Jadeveon Clowney in Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. It is a three-year deal with $12.5 million guaranteed that can be worth up to $22 million total for the former Ram and Texan.
It has not been an easy start for Ogonnia Okoronkwo as he only appeared in 33 out of a possible 48 games in Los Angles. Paired with a 28% or lower snaps played and just 17 total pressures, the 4.5 sacks over three seasons makes a lot more sense. Okoronkwo did see a bump in playing time in Houston which improved his numbers. Okoronkwo finished with 5 sacks and 17 pressures in 44% of defensive snaps in 2022-23. An interesting note as pointed out by ESPN’s Jake Trotter is that the new Browns defensive end faced the eighth-highest double team rate at 22.6% last season.
This is a solid start for Cleveland in the legal tampering period. It was incredibly obvious that their defensive line needed help alongside Myles Garrett. Cleveland is obviously banking on increased growth with this multi-year deal for Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. While it is nice to hope for more growth, adding at least one more pass rusher is crucial. The Browns cannot afford to call it a day after signing a player who is still relatively unproven. Splitting the load with another player opposite Garrett may be the best way to get the most out of everyone.
