The Cleveland Browns are already poised to again field one of the better defenses in the NFL, and that is with the team’s offseason additions likely still incomplete.
One place the Browns can add talent and versatility is to the defensive end group, where reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett sets an impossible standard and the talent level falls off a cliff immediately behind him on the depth chart.
Ben Arthur of FOX Sports on Tuesday, May 19 suggested Cleveland as an ideal fit for edge defender Joey Bosa, who can offer the Browns what they are missing as a situational pass-rusher.
“While Myles Garrett broke the NFL’s single-season sack record last season (23.0), the Browns didn’t have another edge-rusher who reached six,” Arthur wrote. “So there is an opportunity to add more playmaking on what’s already a strong defense. The 30-year-old Bosa, a five-time Pro Bowler with the Chargers, had five sacks and a league-high five forced fumbles with the Buffalo Bills in 2025.”
Joey Bosa Offers Clear Talent Upgrade, Depth Versatility Over Browns DE Alex Wright
GettyDefensive end Alex Wright of the Cleveland Browns.
Alex Wright currently profiles as the Browns’ second starting defensive end opposite Garrett.
And while Wright, a third-round pick of Cleveland’s in 2022, was good enough over his first four seasons to earn a three-year contract extension worth $33 million total, the deal itself for a young player at a premium position is indicative that he is on the bottom end of starting-level DE talent in the NFL.
Wright, who will play next season at 26, has two seasons of 5-plus sacks, but has tallied just 11.5 sacks total across 51 appearances in the league (15 starts).
He is more suited as an edge-setter on early downs/likely running downs who Cleveland can kick inside on pass-rush downs if the defensive staff wants to keep Wright on the field in those situations. He posted a run-defense grade of 73.4 on 194 snaps in that phase, which Pro Football Focus ranked 17th out of 115 edge defenders who saw enough snaps to qualify in 2025.
Joey Bosa Strong Fit Opposite Myles Garrett Given Skill Set, Despite Recent Injury History
GettyFormer Buffalo Bills pass-rusher Joey Bosa.
Bosa has been a solid run defender for much of his career, though his numbers in that area dipped significantly in 2025 when compared to several of the seasons that immediately preceded the campaign. That said, he can still get after opposing quarterbacks and create meaningful game impact in that role.
Bosa tallied 47 total pressures and 30 QB hurries on 336 pass-rush snaps last season, earning him a grade of 88.7 in that category from PFF, which ranked 7th among all qualifying pass-rushers in 2025. He will play next season at 31, and Spotrac projects his market value at $27.5 million over a new two-year deal.
Despite a problematic injury history that saw Bosa play in just 14 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined, he has taken the field 29 out of a possible 34 times (all as a starter) over the past two campaigns.
The Browns can limit Bosa’s usage to mostly pass-rush downs, rendering him an impactful player while still protecting his health. And his numbers should be even better in 2026 if he gets to line up across from Garrett, who led the league in both sacks (23, single-season NFL record) and tackles for loss (33) last season.
Browns Advised to Pair Myles Garrett With 5-Time Pro Bowler on $27 Million Deal