Cleveland Browns defensive end Alex Wright suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles during a joint practice with the Buffalo Bills, prompting the team to place him on injured reserve and sign 10th-year veteran Derek Barnett to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.
The Cleveland Browns lost their starting left edge rusher during a joint practice session in Berea, Ohio, when Alex Wright tore his Achilles tendon during a one-on-one pass-rush drill against Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown. Medical personnel attended to Wright on the ground before he was carted off the practice field. The franchise confirmed Sunday that Wright was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The loss strikes a severe blow to a defensive front already navigating offseason adjustments. Wright, 25, was poised for a breakout campaign following the June trade of star pass rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Coming off a career-high 5.5 sacks over 14 games last season, Wright had signed a three-year contract extension worth $33 million in November 2025 running through the 2028 season. Instead, he faces his second major absence in three years, following a torn triceps that sidelined him for the final 14 games of 2024.
Derek Barnett Arrives on a One-Year Contract
To backfill the edge rotation, general manager Andrew Berry turned to free agency and secured veteran defender Derek Barnett on a one-year agreement worth up to $5.5 million. Barnett, standing 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, enters his 10th NFL season out of the University of Tennessee.
Originally selected 14th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 draft, Barnett spent his first six-and-a-half seasons in Philadelphia—winning Super Bowl LII under then-defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, where he recovered a crucial fourth-quarter fumble following Brandon Graham’s strip-sack of Tom Brady. He subsequently played two-and-a-half seasons with the Houston Texans after being claimed off waivers in 2023. Over 112 career games with 50 starts, Barnett has accumulated 216 tackles, 34 sacks, five forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries, including five sacks across 17 games with Houston last season.
Restructuring the Pass Rush Without Garrett and Wright
The front office pursued several veteran alternatives before landing Barnett. Berry had previously reached an agreement with former Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa, but Epenesa failed his physical. Subsequent training camp pursuits of Jadeveon Clowney and Za’Darius Smith also fell through when Clowney re-signed with the Texans and Smith accepted a larger role with the Atlanta Falcons.
With Barnett now in the fold, the Browns project him into the primary edge rotation alongside Jared Verse—acquired in the trade package for Garrett—and Isaiah McGuire. Defensive staff have also cross-trained defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. on the edge following his return from an injury last week.
“Mike Hall Jr. is an explosive player who loves playing football, and we’re always trying to find ways to get our best four D-linemen on the field. That’s part of why we looked at Mike on the edge. He’s powerful, he can dip, he can get underneath tackles, and he’s relentless.”
Monken, Cleveland Browns coaching staff
The Browns also hold depth on the edge with first-year rusher Jamil Muhammad—signed out of the Rams practice squad where he overlapped with Verse—alongside reserves Julian Okwara, Khordae Sydnor, Benton Whitley, and Logan Fano. Wright, meanwhile, will undergo surgery and target a rehabilitation timeline aimed at returning for the 2027 season.
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