Browns’ Myles Garrett To Debut On Sunday
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sent Twitter into a frenzy on Wednesday morning with one word: “Regresé.” That’s Spanish for “I am back” and the No. 1 overall pick is indeed expected to take the field on Sunday against the Jets, executive Sashi Brown told reporters via conference call.
Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, has yet to play a down of regular season action thanks to a high ankle sprain. It’s possible that he could have returned a little sooner, but the Browns have opted to take the cautious approach with the Texas A&M product given his history of ankle issues.
“He’s a huge piece of our organization, our future, so we want to be cautious but smart as we go through it,” coach Hue Jackson said in late September.
Garrett was limited to just ten games as a junior at Texas A&M thanks to this same injury. He registered 8.5 sacks, which were a career low, and 4.5 of those came against Texas-San Antonio.
Expectations are high for what Garrett can do now that he is healthy. Cleveland used the top pick on him after placing an “astronomical grade” on him during the 2016 season. At the combine, he weighed in at 272 pounds but managed to run the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds.
Without Garrett, the 0-4 Browns have ranked 30th in defensive DVOA and just 21st in adjusted sack rate.
Browns Place WR Jordan Leslie On IR
The Browns waived wide receiver Jordan Leslie with an injury designation. As reported yesterday, the Browns have filled his spot by signing wide receiver Bryce Treggs off of the Eagles’ practice squad. 
Leslie went down with a hamstring injury in Sunday’s game against the Bengals. He was a preseason standout for Cleveland who missed the initial 53-man cut, but he was brought back into the fold weeks later. It’s not immediately clear whether Leslie might be able to return after eight weeks on the sidelines, as permitted by the league’s rules.
Leslie was a featured player at UTEP for three seasons before transferring to Brigham Young in 2014. As a senior there, he posted a career-high 55 catches to go with 779 yards and six touchdowns.
Treggs, a second-year pro out of Cal, first entered the league as a UDFA with the Niners in 2016. He later hooked on with the Eagles and had three catches for 80 yards in nine games.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/3/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- OTs Javarius Leamon and Storm Norton; LB Carl Bradford (link)
Baltimore Ravens
- QB Stephen Morris (link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com); TEs Evan Baylis and Henry Krieger-Coble; CBs Dante Blackmon (link); DB Bennett Jackson (link via Dan Duggan of NJ.com)
Buffalo Bills
- RBs Jalen Simmons and Brandon Wilds (link)
Cleveland Browns
- RBs Josh Rounds and Kelvin Taylor; TEs Evan Baylis, Alex Ellis, Anthony Firkser, and Henry Krieger-Coble (link)
Houston Texans
- RBs Kapri Bibbs and Troymaine Pope; LBs Josh Forrest and Michael Mauti; DBs Charlie Miller, Ed Reynolds, and Andrew Williamson (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Gabe Holmes; OL Anthony Fabiano, Gino Gradkowski, G Cole Toner (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QB Sefo Liufau; WRs Dres Anderson and Nelson Spruce; DT Woodrow Hamilton (link)
Los Angeles Rams
- P Brock Miller (link)
Miami Dolphins
- WRs Jordan Payton and Jordan Williams; OLs Willie Beavers and Jake Rodgers (link)
New Orleans Saints
- TEs Jim Dray, Gavin Escobar, and Brian Parker; OL Andrew Gardner; DT John Hughes (link)
New York Jets
- WR Tavarres King; DT Ed Stinson; S Mykkele Thompson (link)
San Francisco 49ers
- TE Cooper Helfet (link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DBs Jordan Dangerfield and Harold Jones-Quartey (link)
Tennessee Titans
- WRs Chris Harper, Anthony Nash, Tim Patrick, and Keenan Reynolds (link)
Washington Redskins
- QB Garrett Grayson (link via Pelissero); WRs Amba Etta-Tawo, Kalif Raymond, and Nelson Spruce; OTs Reid Fragel, Javarius Leamon, and Victor Salako (link)
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/17
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: S Trae Elston, S Shamarko Thomas
- Placed on injured reserve: S Colt Anderson
- Released: S Robert Blanton
- Waived: DE Eric Lee
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: WR Damiere Byrd
- Released from IR: LB Jeremy Cash
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted to active roster: LB Deon King
- Signed off Eagles‘ practice squad: WR Bryce Treggs
- Placed on IR: LB Dominique Alexander
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Marcus Cromartie
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed off Redskins‘ practice squad: G Kyle Kalis
- Signed: C Mike Person
- Placed on IR: C Deyshawn Bond
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted to active roster: DB Jordan Lucas
- Placed on IR: T Eric Smith
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Zach Line, LB Gabe Martin
- Released: DL Kendall Langford
- Waived: LB Ben Heeney
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: LB Josh Carraway
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Connor Harris, OL Vinston Painter
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Gabe Holmes, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste
- Cut: CB Josh Thornton
- Placed on IR: FB Ricky Ortiz
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Zeek Bigger
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Rannell Hall
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
- Cut: WR Noel Thomas
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Evan Baylis
- Placed on injured list: TE Marcus Lucas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Kolby Listenbee
New York Jets
- Cut: RB Marcus Murphy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB D.J. Killings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE/FB Alan Cross
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR C.J. Board
- Cut: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Signed: QB Joel Stave, OL Jerry Ugokwe
- Released: QB Alek Torgersen
Latest On Browns WR Josh Gordon
Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was released from rehab almost two weeks ago, but we won’t be seeing him on the field right away. Gordon has yet to apply for reinstatement, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT (Twitter link). 
Gordon was denied reinstatement this offseason, but the NFL told him that he could reapply in the fall. He ostensibly could get the ball rolling right now, but he may need some more time before opening himself up to scrutiny. The reinstatement process requires some steps to be taken on the player’s part – as Chargers center Max Tuerk has learned – and there may be extra hoops to jump through in Gordon’s case since he has been suspended multiple times by the league.
The talented wide receiver has not been on the field since the final five games of the 2014 season. He had 24 catches for 303 yards in the home stretch of that campaign. In 2013, he earned First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors when he had 87 catches for 1,646 yards and nine scores.
It’s not clear if Browns coach Hue Jackson wants Gordon back on the team.
Jimmy Haslam Conference Call Increases Tension In Browns’ Front Office
The rift between the Browns’ coaching staff and personnel department is something of an open secret, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the rift may have widened even more this week.
Per La Canfora, team ownership held a conference call with its scouts and football operations staff this week, and while the call was ostensibly intended to give the talent evaluators a vote of confidence, some within the organization have ascribed a very different meaning to it. Team sources said that the call was more of a “kiss of death” than anything else, and a sign that there could be another major shakeup on the way.
Owner Jimmy Haslam has stated that he wants to maintain continuity within his front office and coaching staff rather than engage in the same constant turnover that has plagued the organization for years. However, the Browns look to be heading towards another dismal season in 2017, and in response to questions as to whether the team could win this year or is again looking towards the future, head coach Hue Jackson said on Monday, “I think this team can [win]. I think we have to do some things better and work a little bit harder and make sure that we do some of the detail things right, but that question that you just asked, I think that is something you have to talk to [executive vice president] Sashi [Brown] about and the executive team.”
Those comments are what triggered Haslam’s conference call with football operations, and the fact that he felt compelled to have such a call at this point in the season have suggested to some that change could be on the way. As La Canfora writes, the Brown/Jackson partnership, such as it is, is looking increasingly untenable, and the team may have to show marked improvement in a big hurry (i.e. start winning a few games) to prevent Haslam from cleaning house.
Earlier this month, we saw yet another instance of discontent between Jackson and Brown, and Jackson’s comments this week suggest that things may only be getting worse.
Myles Garrett Won't Play In Week 4
- While Hightower will be back on the field in New England, the same can’t be said for Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Bengals, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, hasn’t played a regular season down this year as he deals with a high ankle sprain. Browns head coach Hue Jackson has hinted on multiple occasions that Garrett is “close” to returning, but the Texas A&M product will have to wait until at least Week 5 to make his NFL debut. Without Garrett in tow, Cleveland ranks just 23rd in adjusted sack rate.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/29/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Carolina Panthers
- QB Marcus McDade; WRs C.J. Board and Germone Hopper (link via Howard Balzer)
Cleveland Browns
- P Brock Miller (link via Howard Balzer)
Dallas Cowboys
- LBs Richie Brown and Kenneth Olugbode (story via Todd Archer of ESPN.com)
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Marcus Lucas (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
New England Patriots
- C Anthony Fabiano; OTs Jake Rodgers and Victor Salako; LBs Austin Calitro and Cam Johnson (link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Giants
- RBs William Stanback and James Summers (link via Art Stapleton of the Record)
New York Jets
- LB Jayrone Elliott (link via Howard Balzer)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Bryan Braman (original story) (link via Balzer)
Washington Redskins
- WR Rashard Davis (link via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post)
Danny Shelton Likely Avoids Serious Injury
- Tests done on Danny Shelton‘s injured calf don’t look to reveal a serious malady, Rapoport tweets. The Browns defensive tackle injured the calf in practice Wednesday. He has not missed a game in his three-year career.