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Maurice Hurst

Browns Place OL Jedrick Wills On IR

December 7th, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Jedrick Wills‘ disappointing 2024 campaign has likely come to an end. The Browns announced today that they’ve placed the former starting lineman on injured reserve.

[RELATED: Browns To Demote LT Jedrick Wills]

After dealing with a nagging knee injury to start the season, Wills suffered a hyperextended knee in Week 7 that’s sidelined him for four of the past five weeks. While the lineman has been a mainstay on the injury report over that span, it sounds like he wouldn’t have seen the field even if he was healthy.

With Dawand Jones running with the LT gig, Kevin Stefanski revealed that Wills would serve as a backup when he was healthy enough for the 53-man roster. The former first-round pick’s knee injury made sure the backup plan never came to true fruition, but it was already clear that Wills was out of Cleveland’s plans for the 2024 campaign.

Wills has been the Browns’ full-time LT since joining the organization in 2020. He stayed relatively healthy through his first three seasons in the NFL, but he’s struggled to stay on the field in 2023 and 2024. An MCL injury limited him to only eight contests last year, and he’ll likely end his 2024 campaign with only five appearances. This is especially poor timing for the lineman, as Wills is set to hit free agency after this season.

The Browns weren’t done making moves today. The team announced that defensive tackle Maurice Hurst has also landed on IR. Hurst suffered injuries to both his ankle and foot on Monday night, and the issues will likely sideline him for the rest of the campaign. Both Wills and Hurst will be eligible to return for the regular season finale, but there’s a good chance the team opts to play younger players vs. forcing a veteran back from injury.

In corresponding moves, the Browns signed wideouts Kadarius Toney and Michael Woods from the practice squad to the active roster. Defensive tackle T.Y. McGill and receiver James Proche earned standard promotions from the practice squad.

Browns Activate DL Mike Hall Jr.

October 12th, 2024 at 11:44am CST by Ben Levine

Mike Hall Jr. is set to make his NFL debut. The Browns announced a series of roster moves this morning, including activating their rookie defensive tackle from the commissioner’s exempt list.

[RELATED: Browns’ James Hudson Undergoes Shoulder Surgery]

The 54th-overall pick in this year’s draft, Hall was hit with a suspension to begin his NFL career following his arrest on domestic violence charges. The player ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and was subsequently handed a one-game suspension that was tacked on to the four games he already missed. The Ohio State product may have a tough time carving out a role, with Shelby Harris, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Quinton Jefferson dominating the snaps at defensive tackle this season.

The Browns will also be adding another defensive tackle to the mix in Maurice Hurst II, who has been activated from injured reserve. Hurst suffered an ankle injury during the season opener that required a stint on IR. The DT mixed in with his three aforementioned healthy position mates during Week 1, and there’s a chance the Browns go back to a similar arrangement tomorrow against the Eagles.

The Browns weren’t done adding to their defense, as the team also activated outside linebacker Mohamoud Diabate from IR. Diabate was knocked out of the season opener with a hip injury that required him to miss the next four games. The Browns have been mixing and matching their edge depth behind Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, and Diabate may have to temporarily settle for a special teams role before returning to the defense.

The team made a handful of additional moves this morning, placing offensive tackle James Hudson III on injured reserve, releasing wideout James Proche II, and promoting safety Christopher Edmonds and wide receiver Jaelon Darden from the practice squad. Hudson underwent shoulder surgery this week that could knock him out for the rest of the season. Proche earned his walking papers after serving as the team’s primary punt returner for the first chunk of the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/24

October 9th, 2024 at 7:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Designated for return from reserve/PUP list: CB DJ Ivey

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Las Vegas Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Free Agents

The Browns are set to start working Hurst and Diabate back to the active roster in practice. 17 of Hurst’s 18 starts came in his first three years in the NFL back from 2018-20, but he did line up as a starter in his lone game with the Browns this year prior to being placed on injured reserve.

Carpenter and Smith are set to miss their next six games due to the suspension levied by the NFL. Carpenter’s suspension is likely linked to the December arrest last year that saw him released from Pittsburgh’s practice squad. The purpose for Smith’s suspension isn’t as clear, but he also got arrested in 2022 on drugs and weapons charges.

Browns Place S Juan Thornhill, DT Maurice Hurst II, Others On IR

September 11th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Sam Robinson

An ugly Week 1 Browns loss has obviously brought more scrutiny on the team’s Deshaun Watson contract, but the former Pro Bowler did not have some key offensive pieces due to 2023 injuries. The Browns received some bad news regarding some other contributors since their loss to the Cowboys as well.

The team placed four players on IR on Wednesday. Safety Juan Thornhill, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, linebacker Tony Fields and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate are all out for at least four games. Calf and ankle injuries will respectively sideline Thornhill and Hurst.

Thornhill resides as the biggest name here; the ex-Chiefs starter operates as a Browns first-stringer, having signed a three-year, $21MM contract that came with $14MM fully guaranteed. Thornhill has started all 12 games he has played with Cleveland, but injury issues have intervened during the former second-round pick’s career. He missed six games last season, though no IR stint took place, and sustained an ACL tear late in his 2019 rookie campaign. One of last season’s absences also occurred due to the Browns resting starters in Week 18.

This IR placement comes after both Thornhill and fellow starter Grant Delpit played 95% of the Browns’ defensive snaps in Week 1. Bad news emerged in the wake of Cleveland’s loss, and Jim Schwartz‘s high-end defense will need some help. The team is rather well equipped to handle this issue, having re-signed ex-Schwartz Eagles charge Rodney McLeod this offseason.

McLeod, who suffered a season-ending biceps injury last year, re-signed with the Browns this offseason. The 34-year-old safety plans to retire after the season, but the Browns appear to need extensive contributions from the 13th-year vet before that happens. Brought in as a mentor-type who would work as a third safety presence under the ex-Eagles DC, McLeod did start five games last season. He now qualifies as important depth for a team battling recent defensive injuries while trying to withstand offensive absences stemming from long-term rehab timetables.

Hurst is on IR for a third straight season. A biceps tear cost the second-generation NFLer all of the 2022 season, but the Browns signed the defensive tackle last year. The Michigan product played in 13 Browns games as a reserve in 2023, helping the team lead the NFL in pass defense. The seventh-year DT, however, will join Thornhill, Fields and Diabate in missing at least four games.

With the Browns already using two of their injury activations — due to using the allotted two August injury-return slots on O-lineman Michael Dunn and running back Nyheim Hines — the team will probably not be able activate all four players from today’s IR transactions. They are down to six injury activations. While Thornhill profiles as a clear candidate to return, the others might not factor into Cleveland’s 2024 season much.

Signing linebacker Khaleke Hudson off the Saints’ practice squad and signing defensive end Sam Kamara on Tuesday, the Browns have since filled the remaining three roster spots by signing wide receiver David Bell and cornerback Mike Ford from their practice squad. The Browns had waived Bell late last week but circled back to the former third-round pick via a P-squad slot.

Browns To Re-Sign DE Za’Darius Smith, DT Maurice Hurst

March 11th, 2024 at 4:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Za’Darius Smith joined the Browns on a one-year agreement last offseason. He will remain in Cleveland moving forward rather than testing the market.

The veteran edge rusher has agreed to a new deal with the Browns, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. The two-year pact has a base value of $23.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds. Smith can earn up to $25MM on his next contract.

Meanwhile, the Browns have also re-upped defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Hurst will receive up to $3.2MM on his one-year deal.

After compiling at least 10 sacks in his three most-recent healthy seasons, Smith caught on with the Browns for the 2023 campaign. He didn’t put up the same numbers in Cleveland but was still productive, finishing with 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 20 QB hits.

While the counting stats dropped, Pro Football Focus still considered Smith one of the best edge rushers in the league. The 31-year-old finished the season ranked 16th among 112 qualifying edge defenders, with the site only knocking him for the run defense. The Browns were also clearly happy with Smith’s production, as the team can now pencil him into the depth chart for the next two years.

The former fourth-round pick spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Ravens before a three-year stint in Green Bay that saw him earn a pair of Pro Bowl nods. He spent the 2022 campaign in Minnesota.

Hurst also emerged as a dependable defender during his first season in Cleveland. The defensive tackle got into 13 games for the Browns, finishing with 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He didn’t start a game last season but still managed to appear in close to 40 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

Browns Place DL Maurice Hurst On IR

December 12th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The injuries keep piling up in Cleveland, and the Browns will now play the rest of the season without a key defensive lineman. The Browns have placed defensive tackle Maurice Hurst on injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.

[RELATED: Browns T Dawand Jones To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery]

The veteran defensive lineman will miss the rest of the season while nursing a pectoral injury. Hurst was limited to a season-low 28 percent of his team’s defensive snaps during Sunday’s win over the Jaguars.

“My 2023 season is over, and the frustration is unbearable,” Hurst tweeted earlier today. “However I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, staff, and the city of Cleveland for welcoming me and making me a part of this family…. I’ll be back better than before.”

Hurst caught on with Cleveland this past offseason and has seen time in 13 games while appearing in about 40 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. He’s compiled 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and five QBs, and more notably, he’s graded as the 11th-best interior defender among 131 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. The site also gave him a top-10 positional grade for his run-stopping ability.

Hurst spent three seasons with the Raiders to begin his career, collecting eight sacks in 40 games. He got into two games with the 49ers in 2021, and after re-signing with the organization, a torn bicep kept him off the field for the entire 2022 campaign.

With Hurst out of the lineup, the Browns could simply hand out his weekly snaps to the other DTs on the roster. Dalvin Tomlinson has led the position grouping in snap count this season (491), but Jordan Elliott (309), Shelby Harris (306), and Hurst (304) have pretty much rotated in and out of the lineup.

The Browns also announced that they’ve placed offensive lineman Dawand Jones on IR. The right tackle suffered a knee injury at practice last week that will require season-ending surgery.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/23

August 31st, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a busy roster deadline day on Tuesday, teams continue to reshuffle their rosters. Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Placed on IR: TE Stephen Sullivan

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

The Ravens brought back a trio of veterans to their 53-man roster. Brent Urban is probably destined for the biggest role, with the veteran lineman serving as the top backup to Broderick Washington at defensive end. Urban got into 16 games for Baltimore last season, collecting 21 tackles and one sack. Veteran QB Josh Johnson will slide behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on the depth chart, and Kevon Seymour will continue his role as a key special teamer.

The Cardinals are temporarily losing some production with offensive lineman Dennis Daley and linebacker Myjai Sanders being placed on IR. Daley joined the Cardinals on a two-year deal this offseason after starting 15 of his 17 appearances for the Titans in 2022. Sanders had a productive rookie campaign, with the third-round pick collecting 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

Julian Okwara has turned into a productive pass-rushing option in Detroit. The former third-round pick has collected seven sacks over the past two seasons, but he’ll now be sidelined for the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during in the preseason finale.

Browns Trim Roster To 53

August 29th, 2023 at 10:41pm CST by Ben Levine

The Browns found a new kicker today, but on roster deadline day, that obviously wasn’t their only move. The organization made a number of cuts to get to the 53-man roster limit:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

At one point, Demetric Felton looked like he could be a worthy backup to Nick Chubb, but the versatile offensive weapon has fallen down the depth chart. The former sixth-round pick had an okay rookie season in 2021, finishing with 205 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. However, he was limited to only three touches in eight games last season.

Kellen Mond seemed like a long shot to make the roster, and the Browns ultimately decided to role with only two quarterbacks in Deshaun Watson and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Mond has only gotten into one regular season game, completing two passes for the Vikings in 2021.

Browns To Sign TE Jordan Akins

March 17th, 2023 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jordan Akins visited the Browns on Friday, and the veteran tight end will not leave Cleveland without a contract. The Browns are signing Deshaun Watson‘s former Texans teammate, according to his agency (on Twitter).

The five-year veteran played with Watson for three seasons and has spent his entire regular-season career in Houston. The Texans reacquired Akins after the Giants cut him before he played a game with the team. Now, he will head to the Browns.

Cleveland is giving Akins a two-year deal worth up to $5.2MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Even if that is the max value, it still tops the league-minimum accord the Giants gave him during the 2022 offseason. It represents decent money for a tight end who, despite only being a five-year vet, is entering his age-31 season. The Texas Rangers drafted Akins out of high school in 2010, choosing him in the third round, and the future tight end toiled in the minor leagues for four years before picking up football again.

Akins’ failure to make the Giants’ 53-man roster last year still preceded a career-high receiving yardage total upon his Texans return. The sixth-year tight end is coming off a 495-yard, five-touchdown season. Touchdown No. 5 ended up reshaping multiple franchises’ futures. Akins caught a game-winning touchdown on fourth-and-20, giving Lovie Smith a victory over the Colts in his final game as Texans HC. That result gave the Bears the No. 1 overall pick, and it allowed them to receive a monster trade haul from the Panthers for the selection.

Role in that seminal play (for draft purposes) notwithstanding, Akins has three 400-plus-yard seasons on his resume and has been the most productive Texans tight end over the past several seasons. The Browns, of course, have already paid a tight end near-top-market money, and Akins will fill in behind David Njoku. Harrison Bryant is also going into the final season of his rookie contract; Bryant totaled 239 receiving yards and one touchdown last season.

The Browns also added defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Hurst is coming off a missed 2022 season; he went down with a torn bicep in July. Hurst, who played two seasons with the Raiders and one apiece with the Chargers and 49ers, has mostly worked as a rotational defensive lineman. The second-generation NFLer did start 10 games for a rebuilding Raiders team as a rookie in 2018. Hurst registered 7.5 of his eight career sacks during his first two seasons.

49ers Sign DT Akeem Spence, Place DT Maurice Hurst On IR

August 1st, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

San Francisco brought in some veteran depth at defensive tackle today, signing Akeem Spence to a one-year deal, according to the team’s press release this morning. Spence is set to join his ninth team after as many years in the league. 

Spence has become a bit of a journeyman over the last couple of years. After playing out his rookie contract in Tampa Bay, Spence has bounced around every year since. Spence signed a three-year contact with the Lions to leave the Buccaneers but was traded after one year to the Dolphins. Miami released him before he could play out the last year of his second contract. The 2019 season saw Spence play games for both the Eagles and Jaguars. He joined the Patriots in the middle of the 2020 season and played one game for Washington last year. After being released by Washington, Spence ended the season on Denver’s practice squad.

The 49ers don’t necessarily need Spence to return to the form he once held when he was starting games for the Buccaneers, Lions, and Dolphins, but having that veteran experience behind starters Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead is comforting. The addition is likely also a reaction to the season-ending injury of Maurice Hurst. San Francisco officially made the move today, assigning Hurst to injured reserve.

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