The Cleveland Browns are dead set on improving on a frustrating season that saw them win all of three games and earn the rights to the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Things got more complicated when star quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a setback in the Achilles injury that ended his 2024 season early, and put his status for 2025 in jeopardy.
Cleveland responded by adding four quarterbacks this offseason: veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
The Browns also know they’ll have to improve on the defensive end of the ball. Part of making sure the team is in a better spot means making tough personnel decisions. Cleveland made one of those decisions on Thursday morning, per one prominent Browns insider.
“Browns have released edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo and signed kicker Andre Szmyt, the club announced,” reported Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot.
Fans reacted to the moves on social media.
“Probably had a lot to do with Wright & McGuire playing well at the end of the season last year,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“What are they doing? Please release Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski,” another fan added.
“Of course we did. Probably be an all-pro somewhere else,” someone else wrote.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Browns replace Okoronkwo’s production.