Former NFL Star Reacts Strongly to Browns' Shocking Roster Decision

The Cleveland Browns made a rather surprising roster move last week, releasing defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo well before training camp.

Okoronkwo had emerged as a veteran leader on the Browns' defense over the last couple of years, and while he wasn't incredibly productive, he was a decent rotational piece in the trenches.

Nevertheless, Cleveland decided to cut times with the 30-year-old, and former Browns star Hanford Dixon revealed he was very surprised by the move.

"I was really surprised because ... a lot of people would say that's really all about money, all about how much he was going to make this year," Dixon said on his show. "I thought they really depend on Ogbo. I thought he was going to be a major, major part of that defense."

Cleveland initially signed Okoronkwo back in 2023. He registered 31 tackles and 4.5 sacks during his debut campaign with the Browns and followed that up by recording 23 tackles and three sacks last season.

With Alex Wright returning from injury and Cleveland signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in free agency, there wasn't much room for Okoronkwo. Plus, with the Browns rolling with a soft rebuild, Okoronkwo didn't really fit their timeline.

Taking those things into consideration, you can understand why Cleveland decided to cut ties with the University of Oklahoma product, who began his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 and also played for the Houston Texans before joining the Browns.

Cleveland will likely be rolling with Myles Garrett and Isaiah McGuire as its two starting defensive ends in 2025 and will see what it can get from the younger players on its depth chart.