The Cleveland Browns have officially turned the page on Myles Garrett. The team has had a week to fully digest the stunning trade that became official on June 1. All the Browns can do now is push forward with who they've got.
Losing Garrett doesn't mean that the Browns will suddenly struggle in the pass-rushing department. Jared Verse, who came over in the trade from the Los Angeles Rams, is a superstar in the making, and he won't be alone in his pursuit of opposing quarterbacks.
Alex Wright has gotten better every year, and now that Garrett won't be on the opposite side of the field drawing multiple blockers on nearly every passing down, he'll have to earn his keep. The Browns gave Wright a three-year, $33 million extension to prevent him from hitting free agency.
Now, it's time for Wright to deliver.
Alex Wright now faces the biggest opportunity of his Browns career
Wright played a career-high 55 percent of the Browns' defensive snaps last season. He also played the second-most defensive snaps of his career (468) and the most since his rookie campaign. He responded by posting career highs in tackles (37), solo tackles (21), assists (16), tackles for loss (12), QB hits (9), and sacks (5.5) despite missing three games and making just nine starts.
Pro Football Focus gave Wright a 78.5 overall grade, which ranked 19th among 115 eligible edge rushers. The site also credited him with 22 total pressures and 11 QB hurries. Those numbers may not be spectacular, but Wright was playing opposite the best pass rusher in the game.
Was Wright's improving production a product of Garrett's disruptive presence? How will the fifth-year pro fare now that both Garrett and former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz are gone? The jury is out, but the opportunities will be there.
Isaiah McGuire will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he should see plenty of added opportunities as well. That type of friendly, internal competition should bring out the best in everyone, but especially Wright, who is projected to be a starter.
For years, Wright has been one of the most overlooked pass rushers in the game, but he's shown the potential to flirt with double-digit sacks if given a bigger role. Perhaps expecting him to double his production overnight isn't realistic, but he could have finished the year with at least seven sacks had he played in all 17 games.
The Browns' new-look defense will require a team effort to pick up the slack of losing a future Hall of Famer in Garrett. And while all eyes will be on his top replacement, Verse, this is a perfect opportunity for the entire defensive line to show that this group was much more than a one-man act.
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