The Cleveland Browns finally have some hope for the future. Cleveland locked up Myles Garrett on a long-term contract and acquired an additional 2026 first-round pick this offseason. Now the Browns are moving on from one player they had high hopes for just a few seasons ago.

The Browns have released edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. In a corresponding move, the Browns signed kicker Andre Szmyt.

Cleveland signed Okoronkwo to a three-year, $19 million contract back in 2023.

Okoronkwo had a breakout season in 2022 with the Texans, logging 44 total tackles and five sacks. There was plenty of optimism that Okoronkwo could blossom in Cleveland, especially while playing next to superstar Myles Garrett.

While Ogbo did not take his career to the next level in Cleveland, he was a solid rotational player. He put up 31 total tackle with four-and-a-half sacks in 2023 and 23 total tackles with three sacks in 2024.

Okoronkwo largely played a rotational role behind Garrett and Za'Darius Smith until the Browns traded him at the deadline last season.

With Okoronkwo released, the Browns will turn to Isaiah McGuire and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to shore up the edge rusher spot opposite of Garrett.

Meanwhile, Szmyt will compete with veteran Dustin Hopkins at kicker during Browns training camp next month.

Diontae Johnson makes bold starting QB prediction ahead of Browns training camp

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The Browns will have more than just a kicker battle at training camp.

Cleveland has to sort through its four healthy quarterbacks to determine who will be the team's starter heading into the regular season.

Browns wide receiver Diontae Johnson made a bold prediction about who will win that battle in a recent interview.

“I think they are going to roll with Kenny (Pickett) for right now,” Johnson said. “I've been seeing Kenny going like right now with the ones. Then Joe (Flacco) will come in. I think they are probably going to roll with him just to see like he's coming off a season with Philly and having a Super Bowl. So, I think they are going to stick with him through the preseason. Then you know they can live with Joe and what he brings to the table.”

Johnson's predictions feels like one of the more likely outcomes for Cleveland's training camp battle.

Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are of course part of the competition too. But they face an uphill battle against established NFL quarterbacks, which is no easy feat for any rookie.

It will be exciting to see who gets the early snaps at Browns training camp, which kicks off in late July.