Houston’s Jonathan Greenard could be a nice addition to Cleveland’s defensive end rotation.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has a decision to make at defensive end.
The Browns already have the league’s best at the position in Myles Garrett, and two solid parts of a rotation in Ogbo Okoronkwo and Alex Smith. But they still need another player to fill out the four-man rotation.
Last season that role was filled admirably by Za’Darius Smith, who was probably the first defensive end to hold up his end of the bargain opposite Garrett since he entered the league.
Smith is a free agent, however, and while the Browns reportedly would like him back, Smith might be looking for his last big contract, which could push his price point past what Berry is comfortable spending.
If that is the case, then the Browns could turn their eyes to free-agent defensive end Jonathan Greenard.
Name/Position
Jonathan Greenard, Defensive end
Height/Weight
6-foot-3, 263 pounds
2023 Team
Stats
2023: 15 games, 52 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for loss
Career: 48 games, 120 tackles, 22 sacks, 41 quarterback hits, 32 tackles for loss
PFF Grade
2023: 78.2 (overall), 67.2 (run defense), 31.2 (tackling), 75.2 (pass rush)
3-year average grade: 74.8 (overall), 68.4 (run defense), 43 (tackling), 73.2 (pass rush)
2023 Contract
$1.14 million base salary, $1.37 million cap number, per Over the Cap
#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on hoping to retain free agent defensive end Jonathan Greenard one of the top players at his position in #NFL that could hit the open market @KPRC2 #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/cy6bChegXb
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 27, 2024
Fit with the Browns
Jonathan Greenard could be a nice player to round out Cleveland’s defensive end rotation. He is familiar with both new defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire and fellow defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo from their time together with the Texans.
On the field Greenard is capable of “wrecking games” – always a nice trait in a defensive player – according to The Athletic’s Randy Mueller:
Greenard is extremely quick off the ball and when closing in pursuit. He has a natural bend to squeeze the pocket and turn the corner as a rusher, and he’s capable of wrecking games. His size makes him a legit outside linebacker in base defenses. He should be coveted if he hits the market, even if durability (19 games missed in four seasons) is a slight question mark.
Greenard has also shown to be productive against both the run and the pass, according to Brad Spielberger at Pro Football Focus:
Greenard made the absolute most of his contract year under the tutelage of DeMeco Ryans and company, and he’s been productive as a pass rusher and run defender, with his 9.3% run-stop rate ranking eighth among qualifying edge defenders.
Greenard wins against the run because of a good first step, strong diagnosing skills, and a solid ability to set the edge and avoid getting washed out at the point of attack. As a pass rusher, while he doesn’t have the deepest arsenal of moves, he is a good enough athlete to rack up clean-up and pursuit pressures if teammates chase quarterbacks his way, as he rarely gives up on a rep until the whistle blows.
Having a player who can rack up sacks if the quarterback comes his way sounds like a good skill to have, especially given that Greenard would be playing opposite Garrett, whom opposing quarterbacks work very hard to avoid.
The fear, as with any free agent, is when a player has a career year and then heads into free agency looking for a big payday. But Greenard also put up solid grades in 2021 before missing half the 2022 season with an injury, so it could be argued that his big season in 2023 was just a continuation of what he started before his injury.
Browns player signing could impact
The player on the bubble at the position is Za’Darius Smith, who is a free agent after just one season in Cleveland. Smith was productive with an overall grade of 83.1 and a pass-rush grade of 87.4, the fourth time in the past five seasons that he has exceeded a grade of 84.
Cleveland could simply sign Smith to another contract, but he is on the other side of 30 and will be looking for a bigger payday in what could be his last contract. Staying with what worked last year is not always a bad idea, but age is not in Smith’s favor and he might be looking for more than the Browns are willing to offer.
How signing could impact the NFL Draft
Both the defensive and offensive lines are areas that the Browns should continue to add players to each year in the draft, so no matter what they do in free agency – either sign Smith to another deal or sign an outside player – they will likely select a defensive lineman at some point in the upcoming draft.
Priority
Upper Medium: The Browns have to pair someone with Garrett. Ogbo Okoronkwo is good as part of the rotation and the club likes the potential of Alex Wright, but if the club is serious about dealing with the slate of quarterbacks on the schedule this fall, they need to have more than what is currently on the roster.
Projected Contract
Four years at $72 million, with $42.5 million in guaranteed money, per PFF.
What would you like to see the Browns do at defensive end this offseason? Join your fellow Browns fans in the comment section below to have your say.
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