The Cleveland Browns front office continues to be busy ahead of the regular-season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, attempting to make sure alternate plans are in place in case pivotal players on the 53-man roster are available.
The team was fine-tuning the practice squad again on Tuesday, re-signing wide receiver Bub Means, while also bringing back defensive end Nadame Tucker. Heading out the door is wide receiver Bryce Oliver, as well as punter Wes Pahl.
Bub Means Could be Productive in Cleveland
Means, who played football at the University of Pittsburgh, was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has played in seven NFL games, securing nine receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown.
All seven games were during his rookie season of 2024, and the touchdown came in a game at the Caesars Superdome against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he had career highs of five receptions, eight targets and 45 receiving yards. And, if you’re at a restaurant or bar, and there is a deep-cut question on trivia night, the touchdown came from backup quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Anyway, the Browns had brought in a couple of receivers for workouts on Monday, but instead of elected to grab Means back. He was initially signed to the practice squad in late August after being one of the final cuts in New Orleans prior to the 53-man roster deadline. With Isaiah Bond slow to recover from a concussion in August, perhaps Means could be elevated prior to Week 1. Don’t expect much more than a special teams’ body, though, if he does get to dress out.
Nadame Tucker Hopes to Find job in Cleveland
The defensive end was cut loose by the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad. The undrafted free agent from Western Michigan really made a strong push for a roster spot with the Bolts in training camp and the preseason, although he was eventually beaten out by a second-year player Kyle Kennard.
Tucker had struggled during the preseason, especially against the rush. It is still envisioned for him to be a third-down pass specialists, especially in obviously blitzing situations, due to his good speed off the edge.
With the Browns looking for plenty of personnel to fill the immense shoes of Myles Garrett, perhaps a hungry, undrafted free agent with a change of zip codes might just fit the bill. If not, there is really zero risk on the part of the Cleveland front office taking a chance on him. The upside is there.
