The Cleveland Browns have remade their defensive end room behind Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney this offseason. The team traded LB Mack Wilson for Chase Winovich to help replace Takk McKinley, who tore his Achilles tendon late in the 2021 season. They also drafted two defensive ends with Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas joining the team.
Isaac Rochell and Stephen Weatherly were added later in free agency as well.
McKinley remains a free agent with a chance to play late in the 2022 season and someone to keep an eye on as the season goes on.
With Winovich, Rochell, Weatherly, Wright and Thomas added to the defensive end room, holdover Curtis Weaver could have a tough time making the team.
The Browns also allowed Porter Gustin to enter free agency with, seemingly, little effort to retain his services. Just this week, Gustin signed with the Miami Dolphins with the hopes of making their roster:
Congratulations to @gse_football client @PorterGustin on signing with @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/kgIOXZmfLv
— David Canter (@davidcanter) June 9, 2022
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Gustin played a total of 26 games for Cleveland, with four starts, since entering the league in 2019. He combined for 52 tackles, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one sack.
He also had this impressive diving interception in the playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers:
Porter Gustin going all out for the INT
@PorterGustin @Browns
#CLEvsPIT on NBC pic.twitter.com/9FE7C2o96n
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 11, 2021
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Gustin had a very high Relative Athletic Score coming out of USC but wasn’t able to produce consistently with the Browns:
The #Dolphins have signed former #Browns DE Porter Gustin. If you’ve followed me since the PFN days, you know I’ve been high on Gustin, and his #RAS shows some definite promise (s/o to @MathBomb) pic.twitter.com/eiLKJiIy7k
— Chris Spooner (@SpoonfulofSport) June 9, 2022
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Perhaps a fresh start is just what he needs to make the most of his athletic talent while Cleveland moves on with their revamped edge rusher room behind their two star defensive ends.