Much of the pre-draft talk around the Cleveland Browns has centered upon their offensive position groups, like their revamped offensive line, uncertain quarterback situation, and lack of a true difference-maker at wide receiver.
They have some underrated needs on defense as well, and one just jumped up GM Andrew Berry’s priority list for April.
Per Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Cleveland will no longer be signing Buffalo Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa. Insider Adam Schefter reported a one-year free agent deal between the Browns and Epenesa worth up to $5 million earlier this month, but Oyefusi cited concerns from a recent physical as the reason the Browns backed out of the deal.
The Browns won’t be signing DE A.J. Epenesa as was initially reported, per source. Team wasn’t comfortable finalizing the deal after his physical.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 30, 2026
This was a surprising twist for the Browns, who appeared to have landed a major steal in the former second-round pick. Epenesa hasn't had a special pro career, but he would have given the Browns some much-needed veteran depth and experience behind Myles Garrett and Alex Wright.
And, as Bills expert Brandon Ray wrote on Sunday night for BuffaLowDown, health playing a role in the 27-year-old's failure to stick in Cleveland is curious at best. Epenesa has played in at least 14 games in each of his six NFL seasons, and he played in 16 of them in 2025 for the Bills, including two starts and 28 defensive snaps in Buffalo’s divisional-round playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.
If Epenesa wasn’t healthy enough to join the Browns, that’s likely news to the Bills, who could now have a chance to bring him back to help address their own depth issues at edge rusher.
“This is very interesting considering that Epenesa hasn’t missed more than three games in a season for the Bills since 2020,” Ray wrote. “However, he will now not be heading to the Browns and he is back on the free agent market. This news could very well give the Bills an opportunity to bring Epenesa back as quality depth.”
Browns now face unexpected need at edge rusher before 2026 NFL Draft
With Epenesa now off the depth chart, the Browns will have to make a corresponding move. Isaiah McGuire, their fourth-round pick in 2023, is the obvious No. 3 behind Garrett and Wright, but his role seemed to decline toward the end of 2025. The team also brought back Julian Okwara, but he’s hardly a lock to make the 53-man roster after spending all of last season on the practice squad before eventually landing on injured reserve in December.
This is a good year to need help at edge rusher entering the draft, as the 2026 crop is projected to be among the deepest in recent memory. The Browns hold four selections inside the top 70, and nine picks total in this draft. Still, they seem highly unlikely to target an edge in any of the first three rounds.
But that position group could now definitely be among the team’s Day 3 priorities, along with other sneaky defensive needs like cornerback, safety, and linebacker.