Browns sign
Browns sign
After striking out on recent options, the Cleveland Browns have finally landed pass rush help shortly before their season begins. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the team is signing EDGE Derek Barnett to a one-year deal.
Defensive end Derek Barnett is signing with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal up to $5.5M, per source.
The former first-round pick is back for Year 10, spent previous three years in Houston. pic.twitter.com/zyJT0hKM8q
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 23, 2026
Barnett, who turned 30 in June, was a first round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. He spent his first seven seasons there before playing his past three with the Houston Texans. Last season, he tallied 21 tackles, 10 QB hits, and five sacks across 17 games as a rotational rusher. He posted two QB hits and a half-sack in the Texans’ Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Barnett picked up five sacks in each of his past two seasons with the team. For his career, he’s recorded 34 sacks.
Now, he’ll look to do the same to strengthen Cleveland’s rush. A new-look unit after an offseason blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Jared Verse was sent to Cleveland as part of the deal but the Browns have plenty of work to recapture the record-setting 23 sacks Garrett posted a year ago.
Signing Barnett became even more important after the Browns lost veteran DE Alex Wright for the season due to a torn Achilles. ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared that news minutes after Fowler broke Barnett’s signing.
ESPN sources: The Browns are placing starting DE Alex Wright on season-ending injured reserve with a ruptured Achilles, and they now will sign former first-round pick DE Derek Barnett.
Wright was carted off the practice field Thursday after getting hurt during a one-on-one drill… pic.twitter.com/RDBRDFeAj9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2026
Wright posted 5.5 sacks across 17 games and nine starts for Cleveland a year ago.
The Browns recently pursued Jadeveon Clowney and Za’Darius Smith earlier this month but were turned down by both. Clowney signed back with the Houston Texans while Smith took a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh is set to see all three players during the year. Smith in Week One against the Atlanta Falcons, Clowney in Week 13, and Barnett in Weeks Four and Eight.
Last year, Cleveland finished 14th in scoring defense but ranked favorably in several other categories. The Browns were fourth in yards allowed and second in first downs. The group will face the challenge of not only missing Garrett but highly-respected defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. He left the team after being passed over for the head coaching job that went to Todd Monken.