It was not a great rookie season for pass rusher Alex Wright after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of last year’s NFL draft. He came in as a developmental player along the defensive line that had great tools and physical traits but was underdeveloped having played a UAB. Wright was thrust into playing time due to injuries and it wasn’t pretty.
It’s hard to argue that Wright doesn’t have the physical tools to develop at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds. Some of the better snaps Wright did have last year were playing on the inside as a three-tech and he certainly has the size and skill set to thrive inside.
Part of the reason the Browns haven’t added another veteran defensive tackle may be that they see Wright playing significant snaps inside. He has the long arms to play on the inside and is a pretty good athlete for his size. Could he be an interior rusher on passing downs and the reason they haven’t added more, it seems like it.
The team isn’t likely to make him a full-time interior player but Jim Schwartz and the team seem open and intrigued about the idea of him playing more there. We will see when training camp and the preseason rolls around how serious they are about it but it’s something to remember and consider when discussing the defensive tackle position heading into training camp.
