When evaluating the defensive front of the Cleveland Browns, it seems like a pretty solid group. Anchored by Myles Garrett and featuring the likes of Mason Graham and Maliek Collins on the inside, this appears to be a front that should be quite formidable against most opponents. There is just one problem: the Cleveland Browns still lack an adequate pass rusher to line up on the opposite end of Myles Garrett.
There are plenty of those who have voiced various levels of support for Isaiah McGuire, Alex Wright, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and just about anyone else who has taken a pass-rush snap in Cleveland over the past few years, but they are just not good enough to be full-time defensive ends in any capacity. This is a group filled with part-time/backups/role player types who are not good enough to provide what the Browns actually need, a full-time defensive end that can produce at a level that can make Garrett's job easier.
The Browns still need a reliable pass rusher opposite Myles Garrett
This is not a new phenomenon by any means, as this has been a problem in Cleveland for quite some time. In fact, the last time the Browns had a starting-caliber end on the other side of the line was five years ago when Olivier Vernon was still an active NFL player. Vernon is maybe the best defensive end that Garrett has played with in Cleveland, and that is a huge problem.
There is a reason why the prospect of possibly selecting Penn State's Abdul Carter second overall was so enticing before Cleveland decided to trade back and select Graham at five. Carter would have been a clear upgrade over Cleveland's current options and could have given the above-mentioned Vernon a good run for his money as the best pass-rushing partner Garrett has played with in the NFL.
Now, Cleveland opting to go in a different direction at the top of the draft is not the problem here. Graham should help solidify their defensive interior, while Jacksonville's first-round draft pick next season should provide an opportunity to select another blue-chip player in the 2026 NFL Draft, possibly a pass rusher or even a quarterback if they so choose. But still, their overall lack of urgency to bring in a quality defensive end into the mix, either through the draft, free agency, or trade, is beyond puzzling, to say the least.
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Nobody wants to hear this, but Garrett will be 30 at the end of this calendar year, and that should have been a signal to the decision-makers in Berea to make an actual pass-rushing addition of note rather than the overvalued part-time players they keep trying to force into roles beyond their skill sets. Continuing to bypass finding a real solution to this problem is not only a disservice to the fans and this team as a whole, but also to Garrett, as they have been completely unserious about addressing this problem in an adequate and/or timely manner.
Do not be surprised if the other defensive end spot on Cleveland's line features another rotating cast of characters that fail to produce once again, leaving the Browns in the same position they are in right now: needing an actual defensive end to line up on the opposite side of the line of the best defensive player in team history.