The Cleveland Browns got their initial 16-player practice squad together this week, and while a handful of familiar names made it back to Berea, a few useful pieces slipped through the cracks.
Michael Coats Jr., Nathaniel Watson, Logan Fano and KT Leveston all cleared waivers and landed on the Browns’ practice squad, which at least gave the team some continuity after a busy stretch for general manager Andrew Berry. But there were also several omissions that stand out - players who had a case to stick around, and in some spots looked like the safer bet.
Luke Floriea was one of the easiest names to root for. The Mentor, Ohio, native and former Kent State standout was always a longshot to crack the 53-man roster as Cleveland’s sixth receiver, but the practice squad seemed like a natural landing spot.
Floriea made a habit of showing up in camp, then backed it up with three touchdowns in as many preseason games. His clearest route to an NFL roster runs through special teams, which is why the Browns passing on a chance to keep developing him there is a little hard to square.
It’s possible Floriea wanted to explore other options, but the Browns also had the choice to keep him close.
Gage Larvadain was another surprise omission. He spent all of training camp battling for the Browns’ punt return job, and that competition ended quickly when rookie KC Concepcion took control with just one preseason attempt.
Even so, Larvadain had enough going for him to warrant a practice squad spot. He handled 24 punts for Cleveland in 2025, and he flashed more polish as a receiver this preseason.
Instead, the Browns kept Kole Wilson, an undrafted rookie from Baylor, over him.
Ahmani Marshall’s case was built on familiarity and opportunity. He’d already spent a couple of stints on Cleveland’s practice squad last season and entered camp in a direct fight with Raheim Sanders for the No. 3 running back role.
Marshall even ran ahead of Sanders in the preseason opener at Chicago, but he didn’t turn that into staying power. The Browns went a different direction and chose Jaleel McLaughlin, a pass-catching back who was waived by the Denver Broncos after making their roster as an UDFA in 2023 and spending three seasons in their running back room.
McLaughlin is the only back on Cleveland’s initial practice squad, though Marshall could circle back later if injuries force the issue.
On defense, Chris Edmonds looked like a player who had done enough to hang around. He picked off three passes during training camp and was also one of the Browns’ key special teams contributors in the preseason.
But the games told a different story. Donovan McMillon clearly outplayed him, and Cleveland’s deep safety group left Edmonds without much of a lane.
The Browns also went with Boise State rookie Zion Washington on the practice squad, which made Edmonds’ omission even more notable.
Kingsley Eguakun may have been the toughest cut to justify on pure performance. Cleveland chose to keep three centers on the active roster in Elgton Jenkins, Luke Wypler and Parker Brailsford, which squeezed Eguakun out.
Jenkins can move around the line, and Brailsford has barely been able to practice since suffering a wrist injury early in camp, so there’s at least a world where the Browns end up needing more interior help. Eguakun earned some work with the first unit as injuries piled up, then held up well in preseason action.
Pro Football Focus gave him a 73.1 offensive grade, seventh-best on the team.
Cleveland’s practice squad is set for now, but these five names make it clear the Browns had more than a few difficult decisions to make.
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Browns May Have Cut A Preseason Standout Too Soon
The Browns final roster cutdown on Sept. 1 included a move that now looks a little more interesting in hindsight: wide receiver Luke Floriea is gone, even after turning in a productive preseason. For a Cleveland team trying to sort out the back end of its receiver room, Floriea had done enough to at least stay on the radar, and thats exactly what has happened since he was released.
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Browns May Have Fixed The One Problem Holding Back Their Offense
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