Greedy Williams Dealing With Injury
- Already down rookie safety Grant Delpit for the season, the Browns will be without their other LSU cog in the secondary for an undetermined time frame. Greedy Williams is dealing with a shoulder injury, and new Browns HC Kevin Stefanski has yet to indicate that the first-string cornerback will be able to return soon, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Williams missed four games last season but started all 12 in which he played.
- The Browns should be expected to explore an Earl Thomas addition, per Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter), but the team may not be a frontrunner. Cleveland lost Delpit but has offseason acquisitions Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo in the fold.
- The quartet of kickers the Browns worked out last week does not represent an immediate threat to Austin Seibert‘s job. Instead, the team is forming an emergency list due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Of course, other teams can and have adjusted this list. The Patriots signed one of the kickers the Browns previously brought in, Nick Folk, earlier this week. The Browns also worked out Cody Parkey, Kai Forbath and Matthew McCrane.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/20
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: P Johnny Townsend, WR DeAndrew White
Buffalo Bills
- Released from IR: DT Niles Scott
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Alex Wesley
- Released: WR Trevor Davis
- Waived/injured: TE Darion Clark
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: C Frederick Mauigoa, DT Kahlil McKenzie
- Waived: G Clay Cordasco, WR Damion Willis
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Dolphins): DE Curtis Weaver
- Placed on IR: S Grant Delpit
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DE Sharif Finch
- Waived: DE Ade Aruna
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Daniel Bituli, LB Derrick Moncrief
- Waived: LB Bryan London, QB Josh Love
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: LB Trent Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Kemon Hall
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Pete Guerriero
- Waived: DB Anthony Cioffi
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Tyrone Swoopes
- Waived: WR Robert Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: RB Salvon Ahmed
Browns’ Grant Delpit Done For Year
Grant Delpit has suffered a season-ending Achilles tear (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The Browns will place the safety on IR, ending the rookie’s season before it could even begin. 
Delpit was widely viewed as a first-round prospected heading into his junior year at LSU. Then, his stock slipped a bit, allowing the Browns to scoop him up at No. 44 overall. He was expected to be a pillar of the Browns’ young secondary this year, alongside Denzel Ward and former Tigers teammate Greedy Williams. Instead, they’ll have to wait until next year to see what he can do.
Fortunately, the Browns have backup. New addition Andrew Sendejo figures to step into the starting free safety job and join Karl Joseph in deep coverage. Sendejo, a longtime starter for the Vikings, has been first-string for 61 of his career games. Still, he’s entering his age-33 season, and he doesn’t offer the same kind of tantalizing upside as Delpit.
This is just the latest training camp injury for the Browns, following linebacker Mack Wilson‘s knee injury and cornerback Kevin Johnson‘s lacerated liver. On the plus side, Johnson was released from the hospital rather quickly, which could allow for a relatively quick return to action.
Browns Fear S Grant Delpit Tore Achilles
One of the Browns’ top offseason additions may not suit up this season. The Browns are concerned that rookie safety Grant Delpit suffered an Achilles tear, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The LSU product needed to be carted off the practice field Monday, and the team confirmed he is being evaluated for an Achilles tear. Delpit will undergo an MRI Monday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Browns used the No. 44 overall pick on Delpit, who was long expected to be a first-round pick. He, Denzel Ward and ex-LSU teammate Greedy Williams represent the three young pillars of Cleveland’s secondary. Delpit was productive throughout his three-year college career. He registered 199 tackles (17.5 for loss) and seven sacks and was on track to be an instant contributor as a pro.
Were Delpit to have torn one of his Achilles’ tendons, the Browns’ offseason addition of Andrew Sendejo will be pivotal. While Cleveland signed Karl Joseph, Sendejo would be in line to ascend from top backup to a starting role. The former Vikings starter has operated in that capacity often in his 10-year career, starting 61 games. He was a full-time starter alongside Harrison Smith from 2015-17, and the Vikes featured top-six scoring defenses in each campaign. The 2020 season will be Sendejo’s age-33 slate, however.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Duke Thomas
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/retired list: CB Ike Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: C Casey Dunn
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: LB Justin Strnad (wrist)
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: TE Ian Bunting
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DL Chris Smith
- Waived/injured: LB Nick Usher
Miami Dolphins
- Waived/injured: LB Curtis Weaver
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: ST Johnson Bademosi
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: WR Spencer Schnell
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Walt Aikens
Browns Sign Malcolm Smith
The Browns have signed former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith, per a club announcement. Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s likely a one-year deal for the veteran linebacker. 
[RELATED: Mack Wilson Suffers Knee Injury]
Smith has 104 career games to his credit with several teams, though his most memorable moments came with the Seahawks. The Super Bowl XLVIII MVP moved on to the Raiders in 2015 and served as a two-year starter, but he didn’t necessarily impress. Later, he hooked on with the 49ers, but he was plagued by injuries over the course of the two-year deal. Last year, Smith spent time with the Jaguars and Cowboys, suiting up for four games in total.
In Cleveland, he’ll help fill-in for Mack Wilson, who suffered a severe knee injury last week. To make room for Smith, the Browns have dropped center Casey Dunn with an injury designation (foot). They’re at an even 80 players on the roster, enabling them to have the entire team practice at a single site between now and the start of the season.
Browns To Work Out LB Malcolm Smith
With Mack Wilson uncertain to be available this season, the Browns are looking to free agency to help fill the void. Malcolm Smith was in Cleveland on Thursday for a workout, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
The former Super Bowl MVP played in just four games last season but has 52 games’ worth of starting experience in a nine-year career. The Browns have gone from housing an experienced linebacking corps to one of the league’s youngest groups.
Cleveland went from carrying two high-end linebacker contracts — for Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey — to having no notable money devoted to this position entering this season. The Browns also let top tackler Joe Schobert walk in free agency. This leaves a host of young players, along with free agent addition B.J. Goodson, vying for roles. Wilson started 14 games last season and was expected to be a starter. While his season is not yet deemed over, Wilson will at least be out for a lengthy period after hyperexpending his knee.
Smith was a part-time player for the 49ers in 2018, starting five games and playing 31% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps. The 49ers cut Smith last year, and he ended up playing short-term roles with the Jaguars and Cowboys. Prior to an injury nullifying his 2017 season, he signed a lucrative deal with the 49ers. Smith was a full-time player with the Raiders from 2015-16, though he is still best known for his work in Super Bowl XLVIII and that year’s NFC championship game.
Mack Wilson Suffers Knee Injury
Moving first to a Browns injury situation, here is the latest from the AFC North:
- Browns linebacker Mack Wilson is awaiting word on the severity of a knee injury he suffered in practice recently. The Cleveland starter is expected to miss several weeks because of a knee hyperextension, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). No tear is believed to have occurred, per Rapoport, but surgery appears to still be on the table. That would put Wilson’s season in jeopardy. With the Browns having disbanded their veteran linebacking corps over the past year and change, Wilson is now the team’s longest-tenured starter at that position. The 2019 fifth-round pick made 14 starts as a rookie.
Browns’ Kevin Johnson Suffers Liver Laceration
Browns cornerback Kevin Johnson was rushed to the hospital after suffering a liver laceration, per a club announcement. Johnson will remain under observation for at least another day.
Johnson joined the Browns on a one-year, $3.5MM deal earlier this year. So far, he’s been drawing rave reviews in camp, but the Browns may have to find CB3/nickelback support elsewhere while Johnson heals up. There’s no word yet on Johnson’s potential timetable for recovery.
The Texans backed out of Johnson’s fifth-year option in 2019, leading him to the Bills. The 2015 first-round pick played in all 16 games as a role player in Buffalo’s secondary, notching 36 tackles and five passes defensed.
Johnson managed to stay healthy last year while contributing as a reserve, a welcome change from his injury-filled Houston tenure. The 28-year-old missed ten games in 2016 and 15 games in 2018, the latter due to a severe concussion.
Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams will feature as the Browns’ top corners. As they await word on Johnson, they’ll also keep their fingers crossed for linebacker Mack Wilson, who may be done for the year with a hyperextended left knee.
Browns Work Out Folk, Parkey, Others
The Browns may be holding a kicker competition. They brought in Nick Folk, Kai Forbath, Cody Parkey and Matthew McCrane for workouts Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Austin Seibert resides as Cleveland’s incumbent kicker. He kicked for the Browns last season, going 25-for-29. The ex-Oklahoma Sooner did miss five extra points, however, and may be on the verge of a training camp battle.
Cleveland has not seen much continuity at kicker lately. The team has changed kickers in each of the past four years, with Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph enjoying one-season stays. Seibert beat out Joseph last summer.
Folk has the most experience of the tryout legs, having kicked in the NFL since 2007. The 35-year-old specialist kicked in seven Patriots games last season. Parkey, whose “double doink” miss in a 2018 wild-card game set off rampant Bears kicker uncertainty, resurfaced in three Titans games last season. He made 3 of 3 field goals during that stay. Both Folk and Parkey made Pro Bowls as rookies — in 2007 and ’14, respectively.
Forbath was also part of the Pats’ post-Stephen Gostkowski kicker shuffle; he also kicked in three Cowboys games in 2019. McCrane did not play last season but kicked in four games as a rookie in 2018.