Browns Abruptly Cut Epenesa, Seek New Pass Rusher

0:00On March 30, Cleveland Brown's General Manager Andrew Berry tried to boost the pass rush by signing defensive end A.J. Epinisa, from the Buffalo Bills to a one-year $5 million deal, back on March 18th. Epinisa, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, was set to bring some edge as backup to star Miles Garrett after the team lost another Russia to free agency. But things flipped quick. Epinisa put up just 2.5 sacks last season in 16 games, though he tallied 19 sacks and 31 quarterback hits from 20, 22 to 2024. Berry saw potential for depth opposite Garrett, with guys like Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire holding down the other end. Fans and analysts buzzed about the move at first, filling a gap left by Cameron Thomas heading to Atlanta. It echoed smaller drama like the Ravens backing out on Max Crosby. Still, the signing promised solid rotation without breaking the bank. Then on Sunday, the Browns pulled the plug entirely.

1:02Sources say issues popped up during Epinisa's visit to the Berea facility, and after his physical exam leading them to rescind the contract before it. Stuck. Now Julian Okora and Sam Kamara are stepping up as backup options after resigning in free agency. Look for Berry to grab at least one fresh pass rusher in the draft from April 23 to 25th, keeping that defensive line hungry. From around the league, powered by AI, this is NFL News Today.