Report: Browns Were Targeting Another Veteran Pass Rusher Before Trade for Za’Darius Smith

Cleveland Browns knew they were going to add another piece to the puzzle at defensive end.

Brandon Little | May 13, 2023

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Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns had DE Za’Darius Smith on their target list for a while but it never came to fruition until the move was made yesterday. If the Browns were unable to acquire Smith, they had another veteran pass rusher on their list of wants.

According to a report, the Browns were heavily interested in DE Melvin Ingram as recent as this week until the possibility of getting Smith came back around. The Browns have made the right move by trading for Smith, who is four years younger than the 34 year old Ingram.

Ingram is more of a rotational piece at this point, not really set to start like Smith is. He had six sacks last year in three starts with the Miami Dolphins and played pretty well. But Smith brings a different dimension with the ability to be a legit starter across from DE Myles Garrett.

It is legit to expect Smith to potentially gather double digit sacks this year across from Garrett. Even if he does not, expect the pass rush rotation of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Garrett, and Smith to get after the quarterback at a high level.

Cleveland may only have one year of Smith but it will still be immensely beneficial if it comes to that. The guys behind him will be able to develop a bit more without being heavily relied on, as long as everyone stays healthy. Allowing Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire to develop is a good plan.

It can now be seen that the Browns were looking to add another price to the defensive line. If Smith did not end up in orange and brown, it looks like there was a good chance it could have been Ingram.

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