Luke Floriea’s preseason in Cleveland was good enough to make people notice, but not good enough to keep him on the Browns’ roster.
The hometown receiver looked like he might have done enough after torching the Browns’ preseason finale for two touchdowns and nearly adding a third. For a minute, it felt like the Kent State product had played his way into the final receiver spot. Instead, Cleveland cut him loose and didn’t even bring him back on the practice squad.
Now Floriea has another shot.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday evening that Floriea will get a tryout with the Seattle Seahawks this week.
There’s obvious intrigue here, even if the fit comes with questions. At 5-foot-8, Floriea is undersized, and the source material notes that he likely can’t help much on special teams. Still, that hasn’t stopped Seattle from taking a look.
If the Seahawks do sign him and he makes noise there, the Browns jokes will write themselves. Cleveland passed on him, Seattle is willing to see what he can do, and the contrast between the two teams is hard to miss. The Seahawks are chasing another title run, while the Browns are still searching for competent quarterback play.
For Floriea, this could be the kind of break that changes the tone of his NFL story. He’s only at the tryout stage right now, but after what he showed in the preseason, there’s at least a case that he could look even better with a stronger quarterback delivering the ball.
In Other News...
Michael Wilson Deal Came Down To The Wire For Cardinals
The late stages of contract talks can get complicated quickly, and Michael Wilsons new deal with the Cardinals was no exception. Arizona ultimately locked up the wide receiver on a three-year, $75 million extension, a move that keeps another young piece in place as the division continues to shape its long-term cores. It also comes in a division where big-money decisions have been piling up, from Seattles own extension work to the 49ers dealing with Nick Bosas return to practice after a long recovery.
For the Seahawks, that backdrop matters because the spending arms race in the NFC West has not slowed down. Leonard Williams landed a three-year, $90 million extension with significant guaranteed money and bonuses, showing how aggressive Seattle has been about keeping premium talent in the fold. With Arizona finalizing Wilsons deal after negotiations went down to the wire, the wider message is clear: the divisions front offices are still willing to pay for key players, and the timing and structure of those contracts is becoming just as important as the headline number. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Tomlin Just Sent Seahawks A Message Fans Needed To Hear
The Seahawks are heading into a different kind of offseason conversation now that the noise around a championship chase has started to build, and Mike Tomlin had a pointed message for Mike Macdonald about how to handle it. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, the former Steelers coach said the key to defending a Super Bowl title in 2026 is not getting stuck on what came before, but treating the next year like a fresh start and keeping the focus on the journey ahead.
Tomlin also noted that the Rams are drawing plenty of positive attention this offseason, which only adds to the challenge of staying grounded in Seattle. For Macdonald, the reminder from one of the leagues most respected coaches was simple enough: wipe the slate clean, keep the group motivated, and make sure the spotlight on others does not pull the Seahawks off course. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Raised The Stakes In Their Third Cornerback Battle
The Seahawks have added another name to a competition that already had some intrigue, sending a 2027 sixth-round draft pick to the Chargers for cornerback Avery Smith. An undrafted free agent out of Toledo, Smith turned heads in Los Angeles during the preseason and did most of his work as a nickel cornerback, a spot Seattle has been looking to sort through with the kind of depth and versatility that can matter once the games count.
John Schneider and Mike Macdonald see Smith as the sort of smart, reliable piece that can help in more than one phase, with a path to work at nickel and on special teams. For a roster still sorting out its third cornerback options, the move does more than add competition - it raises the bar for everyone else fighting to carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]