Cleveland Browns
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Browns urged to sign Joey Bosa.
The Cleveland Browns could use some more help on defense, and the team could look to bring in a veteran.
Cleveland had a deal in place with former Buffalo Bills edge rusher AJ Epenesa, but after something showed up in his physical, the Browns walked away from it. With the Browns still not signing another edge rusher, analyst Aidan Chacon of SI urges the team to sign former Bills pass rusher Joey Bosa.
“Prioritizing the need for two elite and consistent pass rushers for each side of the line is becoming the norm for NFL teams,” Chacon wrote. “It’s not enough to only have Myles Garrett racking up 23 sacks in a season. Garrett should be paired with someone who doesn’t need a lot of coaching or mentoring. Investing $10 to $12 million on a player like former Ohio State Buckeye Joey Bosa. Leonard Floyd and Haason Reddick are also options worth exploring.”
Bosa is a five-time Pro Bowler and won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2016. The former first-round pick would help bolster the pass rusher and would be a nice pairing alongside Garrett.
When Bosa is on the field, he’s a star pass rusher, but his health concerns are a bit of an issue. But, because of that, Cleveland could sign him for a deal that is heavily based on incentives, which could be a win-win for both.
Bosa recorded 29 tackles, 5 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles last season with the Bills.
Browns Opt Not to Sign Epenesa
Cleveland did make an intriguing move to bolster its pass rush by signing Epenesa.
However, after Epenesa went for his physical with the team, the Browns opted not to sign him.
“The Cleveland Browns will not be signing AJ Epenesa, with the team uncomfortable finalizing the deal after the veteran defensive end had his physical, a source told ESPN on Sunday,” Daniel Oyefusi wrote. “The Browns had agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with Epenesa on March 18, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter at the time. Epenesa visited the Browns’ facility last Monday, per the NFL’s transaction wire, but the deal was not finalized.”
Epenesa would have been more of a rotational player for the Browns, as, despite being a second-round pick, he struggled to be a full-time player for the Bills.
The 27-year-old recorded 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. His best seasons came in 2022 and 2023 when he had 6.5 sacks both years.
Garrett Skips Offseason Workouts
Last offseason, Garrett requested a trade, but he ended up signing a lucrative long-term deal with the Browns.
However, as Cleveland began offseason workouts, the star pass rusher skipped them, which could cost him $1 million. Pro Football Talk reported that Garrett’s contract includes a $1 million workout bonus for 2026. And while the payment is fully guaranteed, it still must be earned. In order to earn it, Garrett must participate in 84.375 percent of the offseason workout sessions, participate in all minicamps, participate in all OTA days, and timely report to training camp.
So, by missing the beginning of offseason workouts, it could hinder Garrett’s chances of participating in the required number of workout sessions to get the $1 million in his contract.
Garrett recorded 60 tackles, 23 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles last season with the Browns.