The Cleveland Browns have reached an agreement with former 2022 third-round pick Alex Wright to a three-year contract extension on Thursday.
As the Cleveland Browns continue to build their roster for the future, the struggling organization made a promising move this week.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Browns’ front office and star defensive end Alex Wright agreed to a three-year, $33 million extension on Thursday after an impressive 2025 campaign.
Wright, a former third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was an intriguing prospect in general manager Andrew Berry’s class. The 25-year-old pass rusher recorded 90 tackles and 11.5 sacks in his three seasons with UAB, and despite his resume lacking production in college, Wright’s combine numbers shot his draft stock through the roof.
During his rookie season, Wright would play in 17 games with the Browns, but recorded just 28 tackles and one fumble recovery. Cleveland would not see his true self until the 2023 season, as the young playmaker played a key role in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s attack. In his 16 games with the Browns that season, Wright finished with five sacks and two forced fumbles.
His dominance in his second season would unfortunately not continue into the 2024 season, as he would play in just four games after suffering a quad injury. But with Wright entering the final year of his rookie contract, the stakes were high for the 6-foot-5 EDGE rusher.
Luckily for the franchise, Wright has not disappointed this season.
Through nine games this season, the fourth-year veteran has been the perfect complementary piece to star pass rusher Myles Garrett, tallying 24 tackles and three sacks. The emergence of Wright on defense has freed up Garrett, who currently leads the league in sacks with 15.
Since Schwartz joined the coaching staff back in 2023, the Browns were desperate for an additional pass rusher to aid Garrett up front. With Wright starting to show signs of becoming a true secondary EDGE, extending the blooming pass rusher was an obvious choice for Berry.
Looking at the future front-seven for Cleveland, the group is in a position to be dominant for years to come after extending Wright. Outside of Wright and Garrett, the Browns' rookie deals for defensive tackle Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger have looked amazing this season and have helped the defense return to full strength.
