Former Bills 2nd-Round Pick A.J. Epenesa Lands With Browns in Free Agency

The Buffalo Bills will say goodbye to a key member of their defensive line.

According to Adam Schefter, veteran defensive end A.J. Epenesa is signing a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. Epenesa's contract will reportedly be worth $5 million as he joins the same defensive line as two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

After a stellar career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Epenesa was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft by Buffalo. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder had the measurables to succeed in Sean McDermott's defense, and while he never developed into a star, he spent the past six seasons providing quality depth.

Epenesa played in 91 games with 19 starts and recorded 135 tackles and 24 sacks. He also had five forced fumbles and four interceptions, including two this past season.

The former Hawkeye had a strong stretch in the 2022 and 2023 season when he recorded 6.5 sacks in each campaign. He then signed a two-year extension with the Bills. His numbers were down this past season, with 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Still, it seemed as though there was a chance he could return with the depth behind Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb thin. That won't be the case, however, as he joins a Browns franchise looking to rebuild once again.

A.J. Epenesa goes from contender to rebuilding franchise

Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Cleveland boasts the best defender in the game today, their team as a whole is a mess.

They won just five games in 2025, which was an improvement on their 3-14 record the prior season. That led to the firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

Replacing him in Cleveland is Todd Monken, who is known for his offensive prowess. Running the defense is Mike Rutenberg, who replaces Jim Schwartz. The Browns have been in a constant state of rebuilding since returning to the NFL in 1999. They made the playoffs twice under Stefanski, which led to him winning two NFL Coach of the Year awards.

That wasn't enough to keep him around as the Browns decided to turn the page again.

The main reason for their struggles has to do with the lack of a top-tier quarterback. After striking out on Deshaun Watson, they're now working with Shedeur Sanders, who showed flashes at times during his rookie season but has a lot of work to do.

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