Browns sign ex-Bills pass rusher to incentive-laden contract

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Tristin McKinstry, ClutchPoints

Wed, Mar 18, 2026 ·

1 min read

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The Cleveland Browns have made a couple of moves in NFL Free Agency. Their biggest move of free agency was signing former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins to a two-year contract. Their latest move saw them add depth to their line on the other side of the ball.

The Browns have signed pass rusher AJ Epenesa to a one-year contract , according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Epenesa will earn up to $5 million on this contract. This is the second move the Browns have made to address their defensive line. They also signed defensive tackle Kalia Davis to a one-year, $3 million deal.

Epenesa, 27, is a former second-round pick of the Bills from the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent his entire career with the Bills before signing with the Browns this summer. Epenesa is coming off a season in which he played 16 games, recording 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.

The 2025 NFL season was a down year for the now-former Bills edge rusher. He enjoyed a stretch of three seasons from 2022 to 2024 in which he recorded at least six sacks in a season. That total took a major step back in 2025, as mentioned.

The Browns did have one of the NFL’s best pass rushes in the 2025 campaign. This attack was headlined by superstar Myles Garrett . Garrett broke the league’s single-season sack record, recording 23 sacks this past year.

Cleveland is adding depth behind Garrett for the upcoming season. Epenesa has a chance to re-enter free agency next year and potentially earn a bigger payday. It will certainly be intriguing to see how the pairing works for the 2026 NFL season.