Cleveland Browns went out in the off-season and revamped their defensive line into perhaps the best in the entire NFL.

Unfortunately, that unit has been hit with some very untimely injuries lately while the Browns make a push for the playoffs. After having maybe the best season of his career up to this point, DT Maurice Hurst was lost for the season with a pectoral injury. The same can be said about DE Ogbo Okoronkwo.

Cleveland has options on their roster to step up, as well as the practice squad. But looking elsewhere to fill some spots isn’t such a bad idea either.

Whether it is a free agent not currently with a team or a player on another team’s practice squad, a few names stand out.

DT Tyson Alualu

Alualu has played a ton of football and is currently with the Detroit Lions practice squad. While he could soon be elevated to the Lions’ active roster, he hasn’t been yet so he remains an option.

Alualu is in season No. 14 and a player that the Browns are plenty familiar with. The 304-pound defense tackle spent the previous six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he played in 81 games. Before that, Alualu was with the Jaguars for seven seasons after being selected out of California in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

With Hurst out, Alualu would be a veteran option who could come in and give snaps immediately. He has had success in this league as a pass-rushing interior player and run-stopper.

DT Ndamukong Suh

Suh’s football days are nearing an end after 13 seasons played. The three-time All-Pro wants to sign with a contender for the stretch run of the season. Cleveland can provide him with a team that is heading for the playoffs most likely, but aren’t exactly expected to win a Super Bowl with all of the injuries they have.

The Eagles picked up Suh last season for eight games and he had 10 tackles and a sack while in Philadelphia. Suh isn’t the dominant player he once was, though he does provide another capable body inside.

DE Isaac Rochell

Cleveland is all too familiar with Rochell, who is currently a free agent and will soon become a father. During the 2022 season, Rochell played in six games for the Browns with one start. While with Cleveland, Rochell had 12 tackles to his name. He mostly spent time with the practice squad, a place Cleveland released him from and signed him to multiple times in 2022.

Now in his seventh NFL season, Rochell started the year with the Las Vegas Raiders and appeared in eight games, one of them was a start. Rochell has never had much production (just 9.5 sacks in his career) but he does give you a big defensive end that could see some snaps inside too at 280 pounds.

DT Akiem Hicks

Hicks had his worst season as a pro last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now in season No. 12 at 34 years old, Hicks is only coming back down the stretch run to sign with a playoff team.

In 11 starts with the Bucs last season, Hicks totaled one sack and 22 tackles. It wasn’t exactly a great production for that many starts. But listed over 330 pounds, Hicks would give Cleveland a veteran interior player that can give 15 snaps a game or so. He’s no longer suited to start in this league and likely shouldn’t have been last year.

DT Trysten Hill

Cleveland signed Hill last offseason but cut him before the start of the regular season. Hill is with the New England Patriots practice squad, so the Browns would have to sign him to their active roster.

Hill is still just 25 years old and played the first four seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. His best success in the NFL has come as a run-stopper. Hill has played in 32 games with this season being his fifth as a pro. 

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