The Opening Drive 4/1: The Best EDGE Options To Fill Vacant Browns' Role

With the Epenesa deal falling apart, we look at some of the best options for filling that role through the NFL Draft and Free Agency.

The Browns’ EDGE room seemed set until A.J. Epenesa’s signing fell through after his physical raised concerns. There’s no need for panic, but the Browns still must fill out their EDGE rotation. Myles Garrett leads the group, with Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire holding key roles. Reserves like Julian Okwara can handle situational snaps, but by letting Cameron Thomas leave and losing Epenesa, the Browns lack the quality depth they want at the fourth-edge spot.

With the failed Epenesa deal and Thomas signing elsewhere, the Browns lost a very specific role: a reliable fourth edge who can give roughly 200 to 250 snaps without noticeable drop-off. These players offer good reps while Garrett gets a blow. Filling this role keeps the pressure coming, even when starters are off the field. That unrelenting pass rush is a key part of the Browns’ identity, which is clear from their attempt to bring in Epenesa.

Free agency is still a logical option if the team finds the right fit. There’s also value in drafting a young EDGE who can fill this role now and potentially grow into a larger one.

At this stage of the offseason, there are still veterans available who could fill the role Cleveland is missing. Players who understand how to rush within structure, who don’t need high volume to be effective, and who can give you competent snaps without needing to be developed.

The draft, on the other hand, is a less clean solution in the immediate; however, it could be the right choice considering the age of the defense.

Rookies can contribute as rotation pieces, but expecting a Day 2 or Day 3 edge defender to provide steady, assignment-sound snaps immediately is risky. Young pass rushers often win on traits rather than consistency. They’re learning counters, adjusting to NFL tackles, and adapting to schemes.

That doesn’t mean the Browns can’t find the position in the draft. Far from it. Adding a young, high-upside edge still makes sense as part of the long-term plan. But it will take the right player to be counted on to fill the immediate void left behind this offseason.

Find a veteran who can give you 200 to 250 quality snaps. Someone who can step in on passing downs, spell your top two edge defenders, and preserve the structure of the rotation. Or, if the right player falls in the draft, you add youth to the room with a role he can use to grow and develop, without being asked to do too much.

First, we take a look at some EDGE prospects who would fit in the wide nine and could be around on day two and three of the draft.

Some of the information used these scouting reports was collected from NFLDraftBuzz.com, PFF.com, and Spotrac.com.

Day 2 & Day 3 Wide-9 EDGE Fits For The Browns

If the Browns are going to address EDGE in this draft, it’s about fitting the immediate role and projection into bigger roles in the future. They don’t need a starter, and they’re not searching for a savior. They need a player who can step into a defined role and give them 200–250 snaps of juice off the edge in a wide-nine structure. That means prioritizing first-step explosiveness, the ability to win the arc, and a motor that translates in a rotational role.

This class aligns well with exactly that.

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Day 2 Targets That Fit The Role