Until something changes, the Cleveland Browns defensive end rotation for the 2022 season is quite bare. Obviously, Myles Garrett holds down one of the spots as a/the top edge rusher in the NFL. Garrett’s production has left no doubt about his place in the league.
In 2021, Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley joined the team and benefitted from all of the attention that Garrett got from blockers. Clowney had nine sacks, tied for second-most in his career, while having 19 hits on the quarterback, also his second-most. McKinley only played in 11 games but had 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits.
Both Clowney and McKinley are set to be free agents when the league year starts in March. McKinley also tore his Achilles tendon late in the season and could miss all or most of 2022.
That leaves Curtis Weaver and Porter Gustin as the only other defensive ends on the roster currently. Sheldon Day can pop out to end but isn’t someone the team should count on as an every-down player.
Wednesday, DE Dante Fowler was released by the Atlanta Falcons putting another player at the position on the market:
The #Falcons released Dante Fowler a bit early, as his 2022 season was voided after the last restructure. So he’s free before the league year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 16, 2022
What is unique, as noted in Rapoport’s tweet, is that by being released now Fowler is free to sign with another team right away. If Andrew Berry and company want to get ahead of the market at the position, Fowler could be a part of that.
In his seven years in the NFL, Fowler has 35 sacks playing for three different teams. In his last two years in Atlanta, the former third overall pick had a total of 7.5 sacks. Two years removed from 11.5 sacks, teams will have to decide how much they think Fowler can produce in their defense.
Fowler had signed a three-year, $45 million deal following that breakout year with the Los Angeles Rams.
Signing Fowler, depending on the price, would take Cleveland out of the running for a Clowney return but could give them some depth.
