The Cleveland Browns are in need of another edge defender and one of the team’s former draft picks has come available ahead of free agency next month.
The Miami Dolphins released defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah on Friday, February 23, followed by cornerback Xavien Howard. Ogbah played the last four seasons in Miami, including the most recent two campaigns on a four-year contract worth $65.4 million total.
Teams can officially sign Ogbah as early as March 13 and a reunion with the Browns — who selected the pass-rusher with the No. 32 overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft — makes a reasonable amount of sense considering Cleveland’s projected needs.
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith is also headed to free agency and will turn 32 years old ahead of next season. Smith remains formidable, putting up 6 sacks and 60 total pressures in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). However, Spotrac lists his projected market value as $12.5 million annually over a new two-year deal, which may well exceed the Browns’ internal assessment of his value as he rounds the corner into his mid-30s.
Ogbah also produced 6 sacks across 15 games played in 2023 and did so in a rotational role, starting just one game, while Smith started all 16 regular-season contests in which he participated. Ogbah rated out well below Smith in PFF’s analytics-based rating system, as he produced less than one-third of the pressures (19 total).
That said, Ogbah saw just 144 pass-rushing snaps, while Smith played 387 such snaps. Beyond that, Ogbah will command a considerably lower salary than Smith and could team up with Ogbo Okoronkwo to fill in the gaps of the Browns’ second defensive end position alongside the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett.
Ogbah’s return to Cleveland wouldn’t be that of a conquering hero coming back to an adoring nation, but it would suffice as a second chance under more reasonable circumstances and expectations.
