The Miami Dolphins released defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah on Friday, February 23, along with cornerback Xavien Howard. Ogbah spent the last four seasons in Miami, including the most recent two, on a four-year contract worth $65.4 million.
Teams can legally sign Ogbah as early as March 13, and a reunion with the Browns, who took the pass-rusher with the 32nd overall choice in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, makes sense given Cleveland’s expected needs.
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who will turn 32 before the start of the next season, is also set for free agency. Smith remains fearsome, with 6 sacks and 60 total pressures in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). However, Spotrac rates his expected market value as $12.5 million per year for a new two-year contract, which may possibly exceed the Browns’ internal evaluation of his worth as he approaches his mid-30s.
In 2023, Ogbah had 6 sacks in 15 games while playing in a rotating position, starting only one, whilst Smith started all 16 regular-season games. In PFF’s analytics-based ranking system, Ogbah ranked far lower than Smith, producing less than one-third of the pressures (19 in total).
However, Ogbah received only 144 pass-rushing snaps, compared to Smith’s 387. Aside from that, Ogbah will earn significantly less than Smith and might team up with Ogbo Okoronkwo to fill in the gaps at the Browns’ second defensive end position alongside the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett.
Emmanuel Ogbah underperformed as a starter in his first stint with Browns.
Ogbah’s return to Cleveland would not be that of a triumphant hero returning to an adoring nation, but rather as a second chance under more reasonable circumstances and expectations.
The DE/OLB appeared in and started 40 games for the Browns over three seasons after being taken with the first choice in the second round. He has 29 quarterback hits, 17 pass breakups, 16 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks throughout that time, according to Pro Football Reference.
Nonetheless, Ogbah failed to live up to his near-first-round pick status, and the Browns eventually dealt him to the Kansas City Chiefs for defensive back Eric Murray in April 2019.
Ogbah’s ouster from the Dolphins does not bode well for his future prospects, but Miami set him loose to save $13.7 million on the salary cap. For comparison, Cleveland will contemplate removing four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb in order to save $11.8 million if the two sides cannot agree on a deal or a restructuring to reduce his 2024 cap number.
Browns may choose for a more complete defender to go with Myles Garrett.
The Browns’ main issue with Ogbah should be that he is a pass-rush specialist rather than a three-down defender capable of starting.
In 2023, Ogbah played only 98 plays against the run and received a 39.7 run defence rating, according to Pro Football Focus. Okoronkwo is also more of a pass-rush rotational player, which may force Cleveland to look for a player who is more capable versus the run to fill Smith’s starting role.
A few alternatives should become available in March, including Chase Young of the San Francisco 49ers and Jonathan Greenard of the Houston Texans. Those types of players are more expensive, so there will be a trade-off regardless of which road the Browns take.
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