BEREA — Not only did receiver Luke Floriea fail to make the initial 53-man roster, it looks like he won’t be brought back on the practice squad.
The local product and fan favorite wasn’t among the 10 players the Browns re-signed to the practice squad Monday after cutting them Sunday. Undrafted rookie receiver Kole Wilson was one of the 10, and six spots remained open.
Floriea (5-foot-8, 180 pounds) went to Mentor High School and Kent State. He was undrafted in 2025, got a tryout from the hometown Browns, signed to the offseason roster and stuck around into the preseason, when he sustained a hamstring injury. He was waived and later returned on the practice squad but didn’t play in a game.
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He had a strong preseason this summer, catching six passes and leading the team with 95 yards and three touchdowns. He had a fourth touchdown overturned by replay.
His lack of a significant role on special teams hurt his cause, as Malachi Corley was the sixth wideout to make the 53-man roster. Second-year receiver Gage Larvadain was cut and also not brought back to the practice squad.
Coach Todd Monken didn’t meet with all the cuts but sat down with Floriea.
“It was awesome,” Monken said. “Well, as good as it can be. On the one hand, I was happy that he was a part of our team for the short time that we had him. All he did was work every single day, and then to have the opportunity to have a couple of touchdown catches in the stadium that he was fired up about.
“So that wasn’t an easy conversation, but it was awesome, just his outlook. He loves football, wants to coach. He gave everything he had in the time he was here with us.”
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CORNER POCKET
The Browns made one waiver claim, getting cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (5-10, 185) from the Bills. He was a seventh-round pick of Buffalo out of Missouri and split his time in the preseason between outside corner and the slot.
He’s the sixth corner on the roster, joining Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden, Mekhi Blackmon and undrafted rookie Michael Coats Jr.
“We practiced against him and really liked the way he played and covered and competed,” Monken said. “We’re always trying to upgrade the roster, and he happened to fit that.”
Veteran defensive end Julian Okwara was cut to clear the spot, leaving only three true ends on the active roster — Jared Verse, Isaiah McGuire and Derek Barnett. Tackle Mike Hall Jr. has been splitting time between tackle and end.
AWARD TIME
Receiver KC Concepcion, the No. 24 pick, was voted the winner of the Maurice Bassett Award by local media. The honor goes to the most outstanding rookie of training camp.
“It feels amazing. Just letting me know what I am doing in camp, it hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Concepcion said. “I appreciate the award, but I got to do the same thing or even more whenever it comes to the season.”
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Undrafted rookie punter Wes Pahl was re-signed to the practice squad after veteran Corey Bojorquez won the job.
The other eight to sign to the practice squad were: undrafted rookie defensive ends Logan Fano and Khordae Sydnor, veteran cornerbacks D’Angelo Ross and Myles Bryant, undrafted rookie defensive tackle Tyreak Sapp, tackle KT Leveston, linebacker Nathaniel Watson and undrafted rookie safety Zion Washington.
Bryant missed most of camp with an injury and remains out. Fano is the brother of rookie left tackle Spencer Fano.
NEVER A DOUBT
Monken always planned to keep fullback Michael Burton, a 12-year veteran, on the roster, even after he missed time in camp with an injury. Monken thinks the position is that important.
“Whether it’s short yardage, whether it’s goal line, whether it’s coming out or four-minute, I think you’re going to want a fullback,” he said. “You’re going to want the ability to play downhill. And Mike gives us that.
“All you had to see when he came back a week ago, and the reps he took, you could see a guy who had played fullback and really understands the position. There are guys who play fullback, and there are guys who have played fullback and play it at an elite level, and Mike’s the latter.”
EXTRA POINTS
Monken explained keeping 10 offensive linemen.
“Really, I thought Zak Zinter played his way onto the roster with the way he played the last two games,” he said.
Zinter, a guard, was a third-round pick in 2024.
** Receiver Isaiah Bond (concussion), Coats (ankle) and defensive tackle Kalia Davis remained out of practice. Monken said he believed Bond had cleared the concussion protocol but didn’t know if he was going to practice.
** Verse practiced after sitting out Saturday.
