3 Defensive end free agents Cleveland Browns can sign in May
By Randy Gurzi
Cleveland Browns FA Target No. 2: Jason Pierre-Paul
A former first-round pick out of USF back in 2010, Jason Pierre-Paul was one of the best pass rushers in the game during most of his eight-year tenure with the New York Giants. He recorded 432 tackles and 58.5 sacks in that time while playing with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end — including 16.5 in his second season in the league.
He then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 where he moved to an outside linebacker role in their 3-4 defense during his second season with the team. After recording 12.5 sacks as an end, he then put up 8.5 and 9.5 in his new role during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
Last year, he ended up with just 2.5 sacks in 12 games which could be why the 33-year-old is still looking for a new home.
In Cleveland, he would revert to a position on the line once again and that could do him well. While he’s not as explosive as he once was, he’s still a very capable player and could hold the job down while Alex Wright learns the ropes at the NFL level. And without having to worry about dropping into coverage — which 3-4 pass rushers often do — he could focus on what he does best, get after the quarterback.