The Cleveland Browns were victims of one of the most serious injuries of the NFL preseason when they lost Alex Wright for the year after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a joint practice at training camp. The defensive end was being counted on to continue his development, as the Browns needed pass rushers to step up with Myles Garrett no longer on the team.
Wright and newcomer Jared Verse were looking to form a threatening pair that, as a duo, could help make up for the production that was lost when Garrett was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Instead, Cleveland was left searching for answers in the weeks leading up to their season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Fortunately, Wright, as one of the team leaders, is trying to do whatever he can to still help out his teammates, and Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg recently revealed his continuing impact after his season-ending injury.
“[Alex Wright] connects with the players and the coaches. He strains for the man next to him. He is the ambassador of violence. He’s everything you want from a Cleveland Browns defensive player, and we’re still getting it from him. He’s begging me to come to meetings, telling me he wants to be on the field. You want that in your family. It’s been awesome, and anything we get from A-Wright is a plus, because of the man he is,” Rutenberg said.
After missing all but four games in the 2024 season because of a torn triceps, Wright rebounded with a career-high 5.5 sacks in 14 games last year. This year, he was injured during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill in a joint practice with the Buffalo Bills.
The Browns were already searching for a veteran situational pass rusher, and since Wright’s injury, they have signed Derek Barnett and Sam Williams to provide some depth behind Verse and new starter Isaiah McGuire. Barnett is entering his 10th NFL season, and Williams may provide some upside as a second-round pick now entering his fifth year.
McGuire started eight games for the Browns last year, when Garrett set the NFL single-season record with 23.0 sacks. Now in his fourth season with Cleveland, he has 4.5 sacks playing in 33 games over the past two years.
The Browns have also experimented with tackle Mike Hall Jr. at defensive end, and they likely will continue to mix and match as they try to overcome the devastating loss of Wright.
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