The Cleveland Browns have made a couple of moves in NFL Free Agency. Their biggest move of free agency was signing former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins to a two-year contract. Their latest move saw them add depth to their line on the other side of the ball.
The Browns have signed pass rusher AJ Epenesa to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Epenesa will earn up to $5 million on this contract. This is the second move the Browns have made to address their defensive line. They also signed defensive tackle Kalia Davis to a one-year, $3 million deal.
Epenesa, 27, is a former second-round pick of the Bills from the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent his entire career with the Bills before signing with the Browns this summer. Epenesa is coming off a season in which he played 16 games, recording 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.
The 2025 NFL season was a down year for the now-former Bills edge rusher. He enjoyed a stretch of three seasons from 2022 to 2024 in which he recorded at least six sacks in a season. That total took a major step back in 2025, as mentioned.
The Browns did have one of the NFL's best pass rushes in the 2025 campaign. This attack was headlined by superstar Myles Garrett. Garrett broke the league's single-season sack record, recording 23 sacks this past year.
Cleveland is adding depth behind Garrett for the upcoming season. Epenesa has a chance to re-enter free agency next year and potentially earn a bigger payday. It will certainly be intriguing to see how the pairing works for the 2026 NFL season.
