The San Francisco 49ers may feel like they are fairly set at edge rusher, but a prime opportunity to bolster the defensive line has presented itself. Veteran defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo was released by the Browns on Thursday, and San Francisco could swoop in and sign him.
Okoronkwo was let go by the Browns after just two seasons with the team. He was not awful with Cleveland, as he recorded 31 total tackles for the team in 2023 along with 4.5 sacks. He followed that up with 15 tackles and 3.0 sacks last season.
Those numbers were a drop off from the 44 combined tackles and 5.0 sacks the former Oklahoma Sooner recorded as a member of the Houston Texans in 2022. Perhaps the Browns simply decided his decline made him not worth the final year of the three-year, $19 million contract he signed prior to the 2023 season.
49ers could sign recently-released Browns DE Ogbo Okoronkwo
Now that Okoronkwo is a free agent, will San Francisco have any interest in signing him?
The move would be a bit redundant since San Francisco already added veteran pass rusher Bryce Huff in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason. That move reunited Huff with San Francisco's defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who coached Huff on the New York Jets.
Adding Okoronkwo may make things a little bit too crowded on the defensive front even if he would be a nice depth piece to have.
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Yet, if 2024 proved anything for San Francisco, it is that a team can never have too much depth. The defensive line looks decent for the Niners right now, but just one injury could make things look a lot different and could impact the team's ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Another thing to consider is that San Francisco expended a lot of draft capital to improve the defensive line. They drafted edge rusher Mykel Williams with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the hope is that he will be a perfect fit opposite Nick Bosa. Bringing in Okoronkwo could cut into Williams' playing time, which San Francisco may not be keen on doing.
Okoronkwo is not a perfect fit for the 49ers by any means, but he is a gamble that the team could take. If John Lynch feels that, after last year's abundant injuries, they should err on the side of too much depth, then it would make sense to bring the veteran to San Francisco.