The Browns added one of the top edge rushers from the second half of the 2022 season to their roster Wednesday by agreeing to terms with Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
Here are five things to know about the Browns' newest defensive end.
1. Okoronkwo headed into this offseason with plenty of steam after spectacular performances in the final two months of last season, which was the first time in his five-year career he was given starting duties. He totaled five sacks in the last six games, which gave him a career-high for the year, and was one of the most efficient edge rushers in the league. He finished third among all NFL edge rushers with 200 pass rush snaps with a 16.4 pressure rate last season, which ranked him one spot ahead of Pro Bowl DE Myles Garrett and behind other Pro Bowl DEs Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons.
2. Okoronkwo was originally a linebacker when the Rams drafted him in the fifth round of the 2018 draft. Injuries affected his availability in each of his four years in Los Angeles, including a foot injury that prevented him from playing his whole rookie season. He played 33 games over his whole Rams tenure and recorded 20 tackles, 4.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss before signing with the Texans in 2022 and moving to defensive end. Okoronkwo stayed healthy all last season, too, and played a full 17 games for the first time in his career.
3. Okoronkwo has Super Bowl experience. He played 10 defensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps for the Rams in their Super Bowl LVI win over the Bengals and tallied one tackle. He was also on the Rams when they lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII in 2019 as a rookie but was inactive for the whole postseason due to his foot injury.
4. Okoronkwo was highly effective in college at Oklahoma, particularly as a senior in 2017 when he won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was named an All-American after totaling 75 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. His 21 career sacks ranked second in Oklahoma history by a linebacker and are tied for seventh overall.
5. Okoronkwo instantly becomes a candidate to start across from Garrett in 2023 and offers high upside in new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz defensive line schemes, which have been effective in allowing edge rushers to be aggressive and attack the quarterback. His five sacks last season are second-most among other Browns edge rushers on the roster, trailing only the 16 from Garrett.
Check out photos of new Browns DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, who agreed to terms as the Browns' first free-agent pickup of the 2023 offseason
Oklahoma linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo runs the 40-yard dash during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 4, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Houston Texans defensive lineman Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) rushes during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, December 18, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) is seen during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. Dallas won 27-23. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) runs during an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Rams Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) presures New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) warms up before taking on the New York Giants in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) wears the flag of Nigeria on his helmet before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Houston Texans linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) runs during an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Rams Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Linebacker (45) Ogbonnia Okoronkwo of the Los Angeles Rams against the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Glendale, AZ. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 30-23. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) celebrates following an NFL Conference Championship playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams defeated the 49ers 20-17. (John McGillen via AP)
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is pictured during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Seattle. The Rams won 30-20. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) during a NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sep. 13, 2020 in Inglewood, Calif. The Rams defeated the Cowboys 20-17. (John McGillen via AP)
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (45) lines up for the snap during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2017, file photo, Oklahoma defender Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (31) sacks Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) during an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma’s offense is among the nation’s best, but its defense has lagged at times. The unit, led by second-team All-American linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, has improved steadily since a rough mid-season outing against Oklahoma State. It will need to be at its best against Georgia in the Rose Bowl. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
