The Cleveland Browns are entering the offseason with a rather tough salary cap situation, meaning they will be forced to make some difficult decisions in order to free up some money.
Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey listed three players who may be in danger of being cut by the Browns this offseason, and among them was defensive lineman Ogbo Okoronkwo.
Okoronkwo is coming off of a solid 2023 campaign in which he played 14 games and registered 31 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
The 28-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Oklahoma, was originally selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He appeared in 10 contests during his rookie campaign and had a very limited role, logging just seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. The following year, Okoronkwo once again participated in 10 games and posted very similar numbers, finishing with 12 tackles and a sack.
The Gainesville, Fl. native spent his final season with the Rams in 2021, playing in 13 games and recording 15 tackles and a couple of sacks.
Okoronkwo then went on to join the Houston Texans in 2022, where he appeared in every contest and tallied 44 tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble as his role began to expand.
He then proceeded to link up with the Browns on a three-year deal last offseason.
While Okoronkwo is far from an elite pass rusher, he is still a valuable piece along Cleveland’s defensive line, and his career seems to be on an upward trajectory.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that the Browns need to clear some space in order to sign free agents, Okoronkwo may end up being a casualty.
Cleveland went 11-6 and lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs this year.