Age doesn't help Okoronkwo in this situation either. He was the oldest edge on the roster. The Browns have gotten significantly younger on the defensive line overall. Had Ogbo been the ascending pass rusher the Browns hoped for when they signed him to the three-year $19 million contract, keeping him would make sense. Nevertheless, this contract was designed to allow the Browns to cut bait after two seasons and the results on the field supported that move.
Now the spotlight is on Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Alex Wright. Much like Maliek Collins, little attention has been paid to Tryon since he was signed in March, despite the fact he was the team's first signing when free agency opened.
The former first round pick looks the part. He appears to be a good fit for what defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz wants in his defensive linemen. However, to this point, the production hasn't been there.
Wright, meanwhile, had a nice run to finish out the 2023 season. In 2024, he looked promising at the start of the season, even recording a game-winning sack for a safety against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Then injury snuffed out the rest of his season.
There's talent between these two. The Browns need it to manifest in impact this season.
The release of Okoronkwo opens up a roster spot for potentially one of the other five edge rushers set to take part in training camp to secure a roster spot. That group includes Cameron Thomas, Elerson Smith, Julian Okwara, Sam Kamara and the previously mentioned Adin Huntington.
Of those, Huntington is the most appealing. A rookie with game breaking athleticism for a defender tipping the scales at around 280 pounds. He's short and stubby, lacking polish with his hand usage. The Browns might be quietly rooting for him to prove he can warrant a roster spot because of his potential.
The move to release Ogbonnia Okoronkwo now allows them to focus on these other options, giving them more reps to see if they can develop into viable threats. Even if the Browns determine they need to go out and get additional help some time during training camp, that didn't change the fact that the Browns were never going to pay Ogbo $6 million for this season.