The Cleveland Browns came into the 2023 offseason knowing they had some work to do with their defensive line. They struggled to stop the run, which starts with the defensive front and got virtually zero pass-rushing pressure from anyone outside of Myles Garrett.
The signing of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency will certainly help in the run game. While he isn’t a highly regarded pass rusher, he has shown a little bit of pass-rushing chops the last few years recording at least 2.5 sacks in each of the last four seasons.
But, the team will need more than that to help take pressure off of Garrett. Last season the former No. 1 pick recorded 16 out of the team’s 34 sacks. Cleveland did make an effort to upgrade the pass rush, signing Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in free agency and drafting Isaiah McGuire in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
While those were two good moves to upgrade the unit alongside Garrett, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in another established player. One player that would be a great fit for the Browns is Yannick Ngakoue.
Ngakoue and the Browns have touched base this offseason according to Mary Kay Caboy of Cleveland.com. Could a deal be in the works eventually with the 2023 NFL Draft now behind us?
“The Browns and Ngakoue had mutual interest in 2020 when he was with the Jaguars, but he was in the midst of an agent switch and talks fizzled,” Cabot wrote. (H/T Bleacher Report)
Ngakoue has been productive at every stop in his NFL career getting after the quarterback. In 15 games last season with the Indianapolis Colts, he recorded 9.5 sacks and 27 quarterback pressures before being sidelined because of throat surgery.
The Colts were the fifth team that he has played on in the last four years, which could raise some red flags for franchises. While he doesn’t make much of an impact against the run, it is clear he can get after the quarterback and teams can never have too many pass rushers.
The Maryland product has recorded at least 8.0 sacks and double-digit quarterback hits in all seven of his NFL seasons to date. That is something the Browns could certainly use more of across from Garrett and Ngakoue would be a nice rotational piece at the very least.
