Bills lose longtime pass rusher to Browns in free agency
Former Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa is signing a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with the Cleveland Browns after six seasons in Buffalo.
A former second-round pick is the latest member of the Buffalo Bills’ defense to find a new home in free agency. Defensive end A. J.
Epenesa is signing a one-year deal worth up to $5 million with the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Epenesa, 27, spent all six of his NFL seasons in Buffalo after the Bills selected him 54th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Iowa. He never developed into a full-time starter, but carved out a consistent role as part of the Bills’ defensive line rotation.
Epenesa appeared in 91 regular-season games with 19 starts and finished his tenure with 135 tackles, 24 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. His most productive stretch came from 2022 through 2024, when he totaled 19 sacks over three seasons, including back-to-back 6. 5-sack years in 2022 and 2023.
Epenesa’s sack production dipped in 2025, when he recorded 2. 5 sacks in 16 games. Epenesa showed a knack for getting his hands in passing lanes, totaling 17 pass deflections and four interceptions in his career, including two interceptions last season.