Chiefs add depth to defensive line, swap Murray for Browns’ Ogbah

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April 2, 2019 - 10:25 AM

Turns out the pipeline between Kansas City and Cleveland flows both ways.

The Chiefs acquired Browns defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and traded away safety Eric Murray Monday afternoon.

Ogbah, who was taken by the Browns in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, didn’t show up to the first day of Cleveland’s offseason program in anticipation of being traded, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Ogbah, 25, started 40 games for the Browns over three seasons and figures to be a key piece of Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 defense in KC. He had 12.5 sacks, 122 combined tackles (16 for loss), 29 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles in Cleveland.

The Oklahoma State product never truly lived up to his full potential with the Browns, hampered by a broken foot that cost him the final six games of 2017 and a high ankle sprain in Weeks 2 and 3 of the 2018 season.

The Browns had faith in Ogbah’s in the 2018 NFL draft, passing on DE Bradley Chubb with the fourth pick a year ago.

The trade clears $823,638 of cap space for the Chiefs, per SpoTrac. Ogbah ($1.35 million base salary) will be a free agent after the 2019 season.

With Dee Ford traded and Justin Houston released, Ogbah joins a new-look group of Chiefs edge rushers. Recently acquired Alex Okafor will likely be a starter along with Breeland Speaks, but Ogbah could make a push for one of those spots. At the very least, he’ll provide depth along with former second-round pick Tanoh Kpassagnon, who struggled to find his place in former defensive coordinator Bob Sutton’s scheme.

While Ogbah adds much-needed pass rush depth to the Chiefs, Murray is the second former Chief to join former general manager John Dorsey in Cleveland during free agency. Tight end Demetrius Harris signed there early in the new league year. The Browns also added running back Kareem Hunt after he was released by the Chiefs in late November.

Murray, a fourth-round pick in 2016, started nine games last season with the Chiefs’ safety depth depleted by injuries to Eric Berry and Daniel Sorensen. He recorded his first career interception in 2018, making a no-look pick in the early October win against Denver.

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