Cleveland Browns EDGE Alex Wright Will Need Big Season After Myles Garrett Trade

Now that the dust has settled on the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade to the Los Angeles Rams, we can get a look at what it really means for the Cleveland Browns this season.

Jared Verse seems to be a suitable replacement for Garrett, even though nobody’s expecting the 25-year-old to top the record-breaking 23 sack season from last year. But in late November, the Browns extended Alex Wright on a three-year extension. Now, they’ll need him to step up in a major way.

Wright was outside of his house with his dogs, enjoying a Northeast Ohio Monday when he thought he was being pranked by a fake Adam Schefter report that Garrett was heading to Los Angeles. When he learned the news was real, the 25-year-old pass rusher poured a drink.

But Wright is set to be a beneficiary of a Garrett-less defensive line in Cleveland.

According to an anonymous former defensive coach that had worked with Garrett in Cleveland for several seasons, everything needed to revolve around the future Hall of Famer. Garrett getting his sacks and stacking Defensive Player of the Year awards was paramount for the organization.

With Garrett out of the picture, the rest of Cleveland’s defensive line will receive an opportunity to show how talented they are.

Wright leading new culture on Browns defense

“We looking to turn this thing around,” Wright said after the trade.

Alex Wright sounds open to a bigger leadership role within the Browns following the Myles Garrett trade:

"We're looking to turn this thing around." pic.twitter.com/4oEkctO96o
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 3, 2026

Coming back to Berea for the team’s offseason program, Cleveland’s new coaching staff challenged Wright to accept a bigger role and become a vocal leader. He said he’s up for the challenge as he enters his fifth season in the league.

“The more I talk, I feel like my play backs it up so my teammates respect that,” Wright said. “I’m going to talk trash every day in practice just because I know the trash talking is what’s going to motivate us to get better.”

Verse has also been labeled as a trash talker and vocal leader even though he’s only heading into his third season.

"You like guys that have juice, you like guys that are vocal,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said. “You like guys that like to come out and practice."

Jared Verse has been described as a vocal leader and a trash talker. I asked Todd Monken about what that brings to a young team.

"You like guys that have juice, you like guys that are vocal. You like guys that like to come out and practice." pic.twitter.com/VFzt8R2h80
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) June 3, 2026

As Cleveland’s offense is a work in progress with a quarterback situation in flux, the Browns need their defense to be really good. That all starts up front, and Wright will have a massive opportunity for a big season.

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