Browns Release QB Tyler Huntley, CB Tony Brown
Among the Browns’ first moves toward a 53-man roster is the expected departure of Tyler Huntley. The veteran quarterback is being released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
In addition, Schefter notes veteran corner Tony Brown is being let go. Neither move (both of which are now official) comes as a surprise, of course. Huntley in particular has long been seen as a prime candidate to be released given Cleveland’s commitment to carrying four quarterbacks on the active roster.
Joe Flacco will handle starting duties to begin the 2025 campaign, while veteran Kenny Pickett is set to remain in the fold. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are not in danger of being cut or traded, meaning Huntley’s departure represents an expected outcome. The 27-year-old has been with Cleveland for two stints, but he has yet to make a regular season appearance for the team.
Huntley will now hit the open market in search of a backup or third-string opportunity elsewhere. He has made 14 starts in his career, including five last season as an injury replacement for the Dolphins. A return to Miami should not be expected in 2025, but other gigs should be available in the near future.
Brown, 30, spent time with the Packers, Bengals and Colts before his debut Cleveland campaign. The former UDFA made six appearances for the Browns in 2024, playing exclusively on special teams along the way. After logging an 81% snap share in that capacity, his absence could be felt this season. Barring a spot on Cleveland’s practice squad, Brown will join Huntley in seeking out a new team in time for Week 1.
No guaranteed money was included in either players’ pact. As a result, Cleveland will create roughly $2MM in cap savings with these moves without any dead money charges being generated.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/25
Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Jaylon Jones
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Feleipe Franks
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: CB Tony Brown
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: CB Khalil Dorsey
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: OLB Jeremiah Moon , CB James Pierre
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/24
Here are the latest transactions from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Released: RB Darrynton Evans
Carolina Panthers
- Released: S Russ Yeast
Chicago Bears
- Placed on injured reserve: OL Bill Murray
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: WR Jaelon Darden
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Tony Brown
Detroit Lions
- Activated from Non-Football Injury list: OL Christian Mahogany
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Stefon Diggs
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: RB Myles Gaskin
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: LB Ochaun Mathis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: LB Adetokunbo Ogundeji
- Reinstated from Reserve/Suspended list: CB Cameron Sutton
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: WR Mason Kinsey
Murray suffered a torn pectoral in the Bears’ loss to the Commanders on Sunday, thinning out Chicago’s offensive line depth. He played 37 snaps at left guard in Week 5 in relief of an injured Tevin Jenkins, who left Sunday’s game with another injury. After full participation in practice last week, Larry Borom should be ready to be activated from injured reserve to reinforce the Bears’ offensive line before Week 9.
The Texans officially played Diggs on injured reserve after tests confirmed a season-ending ACL tear, a non-contact injury that occurred in Houston’s Week 8 victory over the Colts. With Nico Collins already on IR, C.J. Stroud will turn to Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz to keep the offense afloat until Collins returns. Diggs’ injury could heavily affect his market in free agency after requiring the Texans to remove the final three years of his contact to facilitate his trade from the Bills.
Sutton is eligible to play for the first time this year after serving an eight-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He was suspended after he was arrested for domestic battery by strangulation in March, leading to his release by the Lions. The Steelers then signed him to a one-year deal in June before the league handed down his suspension in July, forcing Pittsburgh to turn to Beanie Bishop at nickel.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/24
Thursday’s minor moves, including elevations for the opening game of Week 6:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tony Brown
Green Bay Packers
- Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): TE John FitzPatrick
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DT Matthew Butler
New England Patriots
- Signed (off Raiders’ practice squad): C Ben Brown
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: DT Evan Anderson, S Jaylen Mahoney
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: CB Artie Burns
- Activated from PUP list: DT Cameron Young
- Placed on IR: OLB Uchenna Nwosu (story)
- Waived: G McClendon Curtis
- Elevated: OLB Jamie Sheriff, S Ty Okada
Washington Commanders
- Waived: QB Sam Hartman
Browns Place DE Alex Wright On IR, Activate OL Michael Dunn
The Browns are getting some reinforcement on the offensive line. The team announced that they’ve activated guard Michael Dunn from the reserve/non-football illness list. In corresponding moves, the team placed defensive end Alex Wright on injured reserve and elevated cornerback Tony Brown II and tight end Geoff Swaim from the practice squad.
Dunn landed on the NFI with an undisclosed illness as Cleveland was making their final cuts. The veteran should provide the Browns with some relief at offensive guard, where the team has been relying on rookie Zak Zinter to fill in for the injured Wyatt Teller. A former UDFA out of Maryland, Dunn has appeared in 40 career games (six starts), with all of his NFL appearances coming with the Browns.
Wright’s placement on IR isn’t a surprise after we learned earlier this week that the defender suffered a season-ending triceps injury. Wright had been dealing with the issue since the summer and underwent an MRI after experiencing more pain in Week 2. He battled through the injury and saw the field for Week 3 and Week 4, but a second MRI revealed a partial tear.
The team’s two practice squad elevations bode well for the team’s OL depth heading into the weekend. Both Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin are listed as questionable, but it’s looking increasingly likely that the duo will be on the field for tomorrow’s game against the Commanders. Wills has been dealing with a knee injury since last season that’s limited him to only a single appearance in 2024. Conklin hasn’t gotten into an NFL game since last year’s season opener while dealing with a hamstring injury.
On the flip side, Swaim’s promotion may signal that David Njoku still isn’t ready to return from his ankle injury. The starting tight end hasn’t seen the field since Week 1. Swaim has appeared in two games this season while splitting time between his offensive role and special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24
Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: DT Angelo Blackson, T Charlie Heck
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: G Matt Hennessy
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Chris Collier
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: OLB Thomas Incoom, DE DeShawn Williams
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DT Byron Cowart, S Tarvarius Moore
- Placed on IR: TE Stephen Carlson (story)
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: CB Tony Brown, TE Geoff Swaim
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey, S Tanner McCalister
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: CB Kamal Hadden, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: DT Adam Gotsis, CB David Long
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: TE Josiah Deguara
- Elevated: CB Christian Braswell, LB Tanner Muse
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: TE John Samuel Shenker
- Elevated: WR Alex Bachman, OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
- Waived: WR Ramel Keyton
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Blake Lynch, C Sam Mustipher
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: WR Xavier Smith, CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: OLB Bo Richter, TE Robert Tonyan
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: CB Isaiah Bolden
- Elevated: DT Trysten Hill, TE Mitchell Wilcox
- Placed on IR: CB Alex Austin
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: G Kyle Hergel
New York Jets
- Elevated: DT Bruce Hector, LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Parris Campbell, WR John Ross
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB Thomas Graham Jr., RB Aaron Shampklin
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to active roster: DE Sam Okuayinonu
- Elevated: DT Evan Anderson, S Jaylen Mahoney
- Placed on IR: DT Javon Hargrave (story), LB Curtis Robinson (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill, WR Sterling Shepard
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DE Andre Jones Jr., RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/24
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: T Jackson Barton, T Charlie Heck
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: RB Chris Collier, CB Ka’dar Hollman
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: DE DeShawn Williams
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: DE Byron Cowart, WR Collin Johnson
- Placed on IR: RB Travis Homer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: RB Gary Brightwell, TE Blake Whiteheart
- Elevated: CB Tony Brown, TE Geoff Swaim
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DE Carl Lawson, LB Nick Vigil
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: WR Tim Patrick, WR Allen Robinson
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: QB Sean Clifford, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Elevated: RB J.J. Taylor, LB Zeke Turner
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Sam Webb
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LB Shaquille Quarterman
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic, WR Xavier Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to active roster: QB Tim Boyle
- Elevated: WR Dee Eskridge, WR Erik Ezukanma
- Placed on IR: WR Grant DuBose
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: OLB Bo Richter, TE Robert Tonyan
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Stalbird
New York Giants
- Elevated: CB Art Green, LB Ty Summers
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: WR Parris Campbell, TE Jack Stoll
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: DL Mike Greene, WR Sterling Shepard
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: LB Luke Gifford, RB Jabari Small
Players like Hollman, Vigil, Webb, and Quarterman will now be getting called up for the third time this season. The NFL rules limit a practice squad player to three standard gameday elevations per contract. If their teams want to get them into more games in the future, the normal route is for them to be signed to the active roster after this weekend then released/waived and signed to new practice squad deals, starting their three-game count over.
Shy Tuttle‘s foot injury will keep him off the field for Week 3, as the Panthers announced that the defensive tackle has been downgraded from doubtful to out. The Panthers called up Williams to temporarily take the open roster spot. The defensive end started 10 of his 16 appearances for the Panthers last season, and he landed back on Carolina’s practice squad last month after spending the preseason with the Bills.
The Browns announced a handful of moves ahead of their game with the Giants tomorrow. Notably, the team didn’t promote any offensive tackles, which provided some optimism surrounding the availability of their injured tackles. While Jedrick Wills Jr. is expected to play (per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal), Jack Conklin will not (per Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland). Conklin hasn’t played since Week 1 of the 2023 season while recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. He practiced this week and was initially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, but it sounds like a new hamstring injury is the culprit for his Week 3 absence.
With both Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce set to miss Sunday’s trip to Minnesota, the Texans are bringing up Taylor off the practice squad. Taylor will back up Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale against the Vikings this weekend.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.
Baltimore Ravens
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- OT Corey Bullock, RB Chris Collier, CB Bump Cooper Jr., WR Malik Cunningham, G Darrian Dalcourt, OLB Joe Evans, CB Ka’dar Hollman, TE Qadir Ismail, RB John Kelly, WR Keith Kirkwood, QB Devin Leary, WR Anthony Miller, DE C.J. Ravenell, ILB Josh Ross, WR Dayton Wade
Cincinnati Bengals
Signed:
Claimed:
- DE K.J. Henry
Released:
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Nate Brooks, WR Cole Burgess, T Devin Cochran, DT Domenique Davis, CB Jalen Davis, TE Cam Grandy, LB Shaka Heyward, C Trey Hill, WR Shedrick Jackson, S PJ Jules, WR Kendric Pryor, QB Logan Woodside
Cleveland Browns
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Jowon Briggs, CB Tony Brown, WR Jaelon Darden, S Christopher Edmonds, CB Mike Ford, CB Justin Hardee, T Germain Ifedi, T Sam Kamara, T Roy Mbaeteka, WR James Proche, LB Winston Reid, LS Rex Sunahara, T Lorenzo Thompson, WR Michael Woods
Pittsburgh Steelers
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Anthony Averett, RB Boston Scott
Browns Release RB D’Onta Foreman, Trim Roster To 53
The Browns kept four quarterbacks on their active roster, using other position groups to make their way down to 53. Here is how Cleveland maneuvered there:
Released:
- CB Tony Brown
- RB D’Onta Foreman
- CB Justin Hardee
- T Germain Ifedi
- WR James Proche
Waived:
- DT Jowon Briggs
- WR Ahmarean Brown
- WR Jaelon Darden
- S Christopher Edmonds
- DT Siaki Ika
- DT Sam Kamara
- TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
- LB Winston Reid
- T Lorenzo Thompson
- TE Treyton Welch
- WR Michael Woods
Placed on reserve/non-football illness list:
Placed on reserve/non-football injury list:
- RB Nyheim Hines
Placed on reserve/PUP:
- RB Nick Chubb (story)
Placed on IR:
Placed on commissioner exempt list:
- DT Michael Hall (story)
Kevin Stefanski pointed to Foreman not being out of the picture, alluding this only being the team’s initial 53-man roster. The veteran back, who signed as a depth/rotational option this offseason, should be expected back, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets. Teams can use up to six practice squad slots on vested veterans. This is Foreman’s fourth team in four years, but he has managed to play regular roles for each. The Browns also have their two other high-profile options — Chubb and Hines — out for at least four games, as they recover from 2023 injuries.
Cleveland considered trading Jameis Winston or Tyler Huntley, with second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson showing enough improvement to have made the 53-man roster. But the team stopped short and made the rare move to carry four active-roster arms. One of the non-Deshaun Watson passers could be vulnerable, however, as the waiver wire will come into play soon. Winston and Huntley are vested vets and would head straight to free agency if released; Thompson-Robinson would need to pass through waivers. Teams often prioritize those players on cutdown day.
Hall is out of the picture for the foreseeable future, as his legal issue runs its course, and Wypler is out for the year with a broken ankle. The Browns designated Dunn for return. This will cut into Cleveland’s eight injury activations, and while the veteran blocker will miss at least four games, the team prioritized his comeback enough to use this early designation. Dunn has been with the team since 2020.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/24
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Amen Ogbongbemiga, OL Matt Pryor
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Tony Brown, TE Giovanni Ricci
- Re-signed: P Corey Bojorquez
Houston Texans
- Signed: OT David Sharpe
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: LB Caleb Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: RB Salvon Ahmed
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: FB Adam Prentice
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: DL Kevin Givens
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: OL Nick Harris
- Re-signed: CB Artie Burns
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: RB Julius Chestnut
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: S Jeremy Reaves