Browns Lose Injured Edge Rusher for Remainder of 2024 Season

The Cleveland Browns will be without defensive end Alex Wright for the rest of this season after he revealed on social media that he suffered a torn tricep in Week 2.

Wright posted a message to his X account on Thursday, October 3.

After the Jacksonville game, I got an MRI on my tricep because I was dealing with pain from a strain in the same spot during joint practice vs. the Vikings. Somehow it became freak accident because I didn’t even use my right arm on the play.

So after finding out about it I still battled through the pain and all. Fast forward, I got my last MRI checkup and it has progressed to worse from a partial tear. So now surgery is taking place which leads me to missing the rest of the season. … Anybody who knows me [knows] I love football to death, but 91 is going to be alright for sure. Everything happens for a reason, it’s in God’s plan. 91’s coming back with mean ass vengeance, I promise you. I STAMP THAT.

Alex Wright Meaningful Contributor to Browns Defense Over Past 2 Seasons

Wright began the season as the fourth defensive end on the roster behind Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo.

He appeared in all four games to this point, playing 103 snaps on defense and 17 snaps on special teams, per Pro Football Reference. A situational pass rusher, Wright tallied 8 tackles and 1 sack this year, which also created a safety against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Browns’ sole win of the campaign.

Wright tallied 25 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks during his second professional season in 2023, along with 2 forced fumbles and 2 pass breakups. Cleveland selected Wright in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft (No. 78 overall).

The 24-year-old defensive end is in the third season of a four-year, $5.3 million rookie contract. Wright will become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 unless he signs an extension with the Browns before then.

Browns Defense Not Playing Well Enough to Offset Abysmal Offense in 1-3 Start

Wright’s health issues add injury to insult where Cleveland’s defense is concerned, as what was the No. 1 unit in the league last season has fallen off considerably this year.

The Browns currently rank outside the top 10 in yardage surrendered per game (11th in the NFL at 299 yards per contest). While that is far from terrible and better than average, it isn’t enough for a team that hasn’t been able to get its offense going in any meaningful way.

Cleveland has fielded among the worst offensive lines in the league through four games, which has allowed 19 sacks of quarterback Deshaun Watson — an average of nearly 5 sacks per game. To put that in context, the Minnesota Vikings lead the league in total team sacks with 17 through four contests.

By contrast, the Browns defense has gotten to opposing quarterbacks 11 times this season, which ties the unit for 13th in the league in that category.