Browns edge rusher who broke out in 2025 with career highs across the board and cashed in on a three-year extension.
Alex Wright has quietly developed into a rotational-to-starting edge presence for Cleveland since arriving as a third-round pick in 2022. After a torn triceps wiped out most of his 2024 season, he bounced back in 2025 with his most productive year yet, prompting the Browns to lock him up long-term.
Path to the league
Wright starred at UAB, where he led all Conference USA true freshmen in sacks and tackles for loss in 2019 and earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors in 2021 with 7.5 sacks. Cleveland drafted him in the third round, 78th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Wright played all 17 games as a rookie in 2022, recording 28 tackles, five passes defensed and a forced fumble. He followed with 25 tackles and five sacks in 2023 before a Week 4 triceps tear ended his 2024 campaign early. On November 20, 2025, he signed a three-year, $33 million extension with the Browns.
2025 season recap
Wright set career highs across the board, posting 37 tackles and 5.5 sacks to go with a pass defensed and a forced fumble over 14 games. The breakout year came just before he signed his extension, cementing him as part of Cleveland's long-term defensive line plans.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Alex Wright (American football)
- Pro Football Reference: Alex Wright
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
14 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | browns | 14 | 37 | 21 | 5.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | browns | 4 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | browns | 16 | 25 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | browns | 17 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- UAB
- Hometown
- Elba, AL, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
