Luke Floriea’s run with the Browns appears to be over, and Todd Monken’s choice of words said plenty before the team even made it official.
When Monken was asked about Cleveland waiving the preseason standout, he spoke about Floriea in the past tense and made it clear the conversation wasn’t an easy one.
"I was happy that he was a part of our team for the short time that we had him,” Monken said. “All he did was work every day.
He had the opportunity to have a couple of touchdown catches in the stadium [this preseason] that he was fired up about. So that wasn’t easy, that conversation, but it was awesome - just his outlook.
Just, he loves football, wants to coach. Like, he gave everything he had in the time he was here with us."
By then, the direction was already obvious. Floriea, the Mentor, Ohio, native who starred at nearby Kent State, was not among Cleveland’s first 10 practice squad signings. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler later reported the Browns don’t plan to circle back and pursue the 5-foot-8 receiver even after he cleared waivers Monday afternoon.
For Browns fans, it landed like another tough break. Floriea had become a favorite over the last two training camps, and plenty of supporters believed he had done enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, not just the practice squad.
On the field, he did his part to keep the buzz alive. Floriea played in all three preseason games and finished with six catches for 95 yards and three touchdowns, good for 15.8 yards per reception.
But the issue was never whether he could separate or finish plays. For a receiver in his spot, the real battle is usually on special teams, and that’s where Floriea came up short. He logged 76 total snaps in the preseason, but only four came on special teams, a number that told the story on its own.
He was competing mostly with Malachi Corley and Gage Larvadain, and both of them had clearer paths in that phase of the game. Larvadain spent camp pushing for the top punt return job, while Corley made the roster as one of the primary kickoff returners. Floriea never handled a punt or kickoff in preseason action, and his size and experience didn’t really give him a path to a gunner role or another core special teams job.
Cleveland did include one other receiver in its initial practice squad group: Kole Wilson. He didn’t generate the same kind of excitement as Floriea as a pass-catcher, but he did stand out as a return man, averaging more than 31.3 yards per return with a long of 38 during an extended special teams look in preseason Game 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
The move is bound to sting even more because of Floriea’s local ties, especially for a fan base already worn down by unrest tied to the Deshaun Watson fiasco. Still, the Browns’ roster math had already tightened around him once the team drafted both KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
Monken may have sounded sympathetic, but the reality was probably settled well before the waiver wire. With Concepcion, Boston, Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and Tylan Wallace all essentially locked in and healthy since spring, Floriea’s path was narrow from the start.
In Other News...
Browns Have A Low-Risk O-Line Gamble Worth Watching
The Giants decision to cut Evan Neal puts a former first-round pick back on the market at a time when teams looking for offensive line help are always willing to kick the tires. Neals career has been uneven since he entered the league, with 29 games across three seasons and the entire 2025 season lost, but that kind of pedigree still tends to draw attention from clubs that believe a change of scenery can help.
For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious enough to make this a story worth watching. The Browns have spent enough time searching for stability up front to at least consider whether Neal fits as a low-risk swing, even if no official move has been reported. It is the kind of depth gamble that does not require much to make sense, but it also only matters if a team believes the upside is still hiding somewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Browns 53-Man Roster Leaves One Big Quarterback Question
The Browns got through roster cutdown day with a few notable choices that will shape the early weeks of the season, but the biggest takeaway might be what they did at quarterback. Cleveland carried four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster, then moved Dillon Gabriel to injured reserve because of a back injury, leaving the room in a more unusual spot than most teams would prefer as the opening week approaches.
Elsewhere, the front office made a clear statement about the future by keeping all 10 members of its 2026 draft class in the organization, with nine on the active roster and one on the reserve/non-football illness list. It gives the Browns a deep look at a young class right away, but it also leaves the quarterback picture hanging over the roster in a way that could matter well beyond the first few weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Left One Roster Question Hanging After Waiver Day
Waiver day gave the Browns a little roster movement, but also a clearer look at where the depth chart still feels unfinished. Cleveland used its No. 6 priority to claim rookie cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. from the Bills, then opened a spot by releasing veteran edge rusher Julian Okwara, a move that left the team with only three defensive ends on the roster.
The more interesting part may be what Cleveland did not do. The Browns passed on young tight ends Justin Joly and Cameron Latu, both of whom were claimed elsewhere, even while keeping their preseason look at Mike Hall Jr. as an edge defender. With the roster now trimmed and a few decisions already made, the remaining question is whether the Browns are truly set at that spot or still leaving themselves room to adjust. [Read more 🡒]