This Intriguing Cleveland Browns Defender Is On The Rise

This young Cleveland Browns defender is beginning to make a name for himself.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Alex Wright (91) celebrates his sack on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) in the end zone for a safety with defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Browns defeated the Jaguars 18-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are known for their stingy defense, but when you think about the unit, names like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward will probably come to mind.

You probably won't imagine Alex Wright, but it may be time to start familiarizing yourself with his name.

Wright has logged five tackles and a sack through the first two weeks of 2024, including a massive safety in the Browns' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars this past Sunday.

While those numbers may not jump off the page, what Wright has achieved dating back to the end of last season is certainly eye-catching.

Since Week 15 of 2023, Wright leads Cleveland with five sacks and has also registered 17 tackles, six tackles for loss, a couple of forced fumbles and 11 pressures (h/t tha_buffalo's X account).

Keep in mind, Wright has done all of that over a span of six games.

That is some pretty impressive stuff.

Wright, who played his collegiate football at UAB, was selected by the Browns in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He played in every game during his rookie campaign but was relatively quiet, recording 28 tackles, a fumble recovery and five passes defended.

Last year, Wright truly began to display his talents, posting 25 tackles, five sacks, a pair of forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 16 contests.

The thing is, the 24-year-old only played in 38 percent of Cleveland's defensive snaps in 2023 and has only been on the field for 42 percent of them this year.

Perhaps it's time for the Browns to start utilizing Wright more as the season progresses.