Cleveland hosted one of the larger groups we’ve seen this season for tryouts today, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. The group consisted of ten players: six skill position players, one offensive lineman, and three defensive tackles.
The Browns’ quarterback position was one of the most talked about stories of the offseason. As it currently stands, presumed starter Deshaun Watson still has seven games remaining on his suspension, interim starter Jacoby Brissett has led the team to a 2-2 start (good for first place in the AFC North), and backups Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond have yet to be seen. Still, the team felt the need to offer an audition to former Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci. DiNucci has some experience helping out in a tough spot from his time in Dallas two years ago when both starting quarterback Dak Prescott and backup Andy Dalton were injured. He got one opportunity to start against the Eagles before being benched for the winner of a Cooper Rush–Garrett Gilbert battle. DiNucci recently tried out for a quarterback practice squad spot in Miami that was awarded to Reid Sinnett.
Similarly, the Browns seem set at running back, utilizing a three-man backfield of Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and D’Ernest Johnson. Yet the team auditioned, two running backs today in undrafted rookie Abram Smith and former Ravens practice squad back Nate McCrary. Smith had signed with the Saints out of college but was waived days before the roster cut deadline. During his lone productive season at Baylor, Smith broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,601 yards, adding 12 touchdowns to his resume. McCrary came out of Saginaw Valley State last year, signing in Baltimore as an undrafted free agent. He was the Ravens’ leading rusher in the preseason that year, likely due to the litany of injuries at the position that removed carries from J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill.
Cleveland brought in three wide receivers today including the biggest name of the day, Kenny Stills. The veteran Stills has long seen his most productive years pass by but could still remain an effective deep-threat if needed. Through his first seven years in the league, Stills never averaged less than 14.0 yards per reception and was always good for a few touchdowns. His stats and usage have plummeted in the past two years but, in the right system, Stills could still have some use left in the tank. The team also brought in Jequez Ezzard and Brandon Lewis to audition. Ezzard is a smaller return-specialist who signed with the Commanders after going undrafted out of Sam Houston State this year. Lewis is another smaller receiver who initially signed with Tennessee out of college after going undrafted. Being from the Air Force offense, Lewis never blew up the stat sheet with receiving yards but has a unique skillset to add to an offense as a gadget player who has lots of rushing experience in the Falcons offense.
Another position the Browns brought three players in to audition at was defensive tackle. Cleveland invited Tyler Clark, Prince Emili, and Jordan Williams to work out today. Clark came out of Georgia undrafted two years ago spending time with the Bengals, Chiefs, and Commanders since then but never making an active roster. Emili joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent this year and was even called up to appear in two games on Buffalo’s defense, appearing most recently in the Bills’ win over the Ravens, in which he racked up three tackles and a pass deflection. Williams originally signed with the Dolphins after going undrafted out of Virginia Tech but was waived in mid-August.
Lastly, the Browns worked out undrafted Arkansas offensive tackle Myron Cunningham who initially signed with the Texans but was also waived in mid-August. None of the auditions have resulted in a roster spot yet, practice squad or otherwise, but seeing a group of this size come in for a workout is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Another reason I stopped following the NFL closely over a decade ago.
It’s bad enough trying to figure out who’s on the field when seemingly each down 2-5 guys from each team are running off and on the field so I don’t know who’s playing, but then there’s the injury factor where it’s a part-time job for a fan to keep up with who’s on the teams roster from one week to the next.
The NFL is not really a sport anymore. It’s sort of like stock car races where spectators come to see the crashes (one guy told me he thought it was like the Romans watching the people fighting the lions in the Coliseum). While the NFL also offers trash talking which includes: “I’m not being respected here – I wanna go to a team that pays me!”.
Stopped following, yet still post on a NFL transaction and rumor site.
One doesn’t have anything to do with the other. This site isn’t owned by the NFL. If you want to spread your anti-NFL agenda, what better place than a site about football?
Give it a rest no politics. For someone who states “another reason I stopped following the nfl” on a nfl site is pretty ridiculous. Samuel stick with mlb we don’t need your long rants over here too
He said he stopped following the NFL, not the NFL sites. The discussion here is about the NFL, not the site.
Come on man.
But how can he know that Jackson is being helped out by his receivers? Do you really believe that he hasn’t watched a NFL game in 5 years? He’s Brownsbacker
He is brownsbacker you are right. Nobody else is thay ignorant. Hey at least he got over his love for Watson that’s a plus
If you are replying to me here, Norman, try to follow the thread. Latino is making a case that the NFL and an NFL site (which this is not) are the same thing. The inference is that by visiting an NFL site (a site owned by the NFL, which again, this site is not) that you are spending time and supporting the NFL.
“Latino is making a case that the NFL and an NFL site (which this is not) are the same thing” said Brownsbacker9
You totally missed my point, which is if you are complaining about why you don’t watch the nfl anymore seems kinda @$$ backwards to do that complaining on site that is 100% about the nfl. They don’t concern the Canadian football league here or the American whatever league they cover the NFL. So again I say if you don’t like the NFL and say you don’t watch it, why the hell would you post on an a site ABOUT the nfl. Seems I shouldn’t have to spell it out like this for you to comprehend what I’m saying. Guess you’re a bit slower then I give you credit for. Again congrats on getting over you love for Watson and dropping your fake Pittsburgh account
You are wrong here No Politics.
OP first says that he stopped following the NFL and one of the reasons why is that the minutiae of transactional details and knowing who is there, yet is on a site about NFL roster minutiae.
I’m considering borrowing that Samuel comment and using it at an adult forum to explain why I no longer follow porn.
Although the Browns brought in MYRON CUNNINGHAM for an audition, the guy the team really wanted to see; they were unable to locate CHUCK CUNNINGHAM.
Randall Cunningham
Richie Cunningham
Rick Cunningham…sure he’s 55 years old, but he only was a full time starter for one season out of the 8 seasons he played, so he’s a young 55 with not many miles on the odometer.
Kenny Stills is done. Has been for a while.
I think that the DiNucci audition is more of a statement about the makeup of Cleveland’s backup QB status than it is about their (temporary) starter. None of those players are going to threaten Brissett as the “number two in effect number one” quarterback, but Dobbs was very bad in the limited action that he saw in Pittsburgh and Mond was at best an extremely developmental quarterback coming out of A&M that never progressed enough to seal a backup job in Minnesota. I do not believe that either one projects any confidence should Brissett go down. DiNucci is not much of a confidence booster himself, but this seems to be a case where Cleveland is testing the waters to see what possibly could be available if they’d like to try to upgrade.
The real question here is whether something specific prompted this inquiry-is Brissett injured in some way that makes the Browns think that he could miss time? Or are they just covering their bases in case of an injury in the future? Or did they see Dobbs and/or Mond in practice a few times and really not like the results?
Pervbacker you get on here and use another name to do you can in turn start another debate. This is an NFL site not owned by the NFL but is almost always about it. A college article shows up occasionally. So saying it is an NFL site is not factually wrong.
You are as arrogant an ass hole as you were as Pervbacker. Arrogant I won’t let anyone beat me on an opinion. I will find a small speck of what someone says and pick it apart even smaller all to say how smart you are.
You can post your idiot comments all you want because you are funny. Not funny funny but a few screws loose funny.