BEREA — The Browns added two pieces to the defense Tuesday as they continued to tweak the bottom of the roster in preparation for the season opener.
Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (ig-bih-NAH-guh-knee) and defensive end Sam Williams were signed to the active roster and practiced.
Todd Monken confident Deshaun Watson can generate the explosive plays necessary to succeed
Defensive tackle Kalia Davis (quadriceps) was placed on injured reserve after being sidelined for nearly all of training camp. He must miss at least four games.
Undrafted rookie cornerback Michael Coats Jr. was waived. He’s expected to come back on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
“Mike’s a great player and whether it’s here or any elsewhere, I feel like he’s going to succeed,” cornerback Tyson Campbell said.
Igbinoghene (5-foot-11, 197 pounds) was the No. 30 pick of the Dolphins in 2020 out of Auburn. He’s started 17 of 69 games with the Dolphins, Cowboys and Commanders, totaling 114 tackles, 17 passes defensed, an interception and a sack.
He spent the preseason with the Seahawks and has experience outside and in the slot.
Notes: Luke Floriea isn’t re-signed to practice squad
Three of the six cornerbacks on the 53-man roster arrived in the last week. Mekhi Blackmon was claimed Thursday and Toriano Pride Jr. on Monday. They joined Denzel Ward, Campbell and Myles Harden.
Williams (6-4, 260) was a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2022 out of Mississippi. He’s started five of 49 games and missed the 2024 season with torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.
He has 80 career tackles, 9.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. He joins starters Jared Verse and Isaiah McGuire and veteran Derek Barnett, who was signed Aug. 23 after Alex Wright was lost for the season with a torn Achilles.
The Browns also signed four more players to the practice squad.
Defensive tackle Sam Kamara has appeared in 18 games with the Browns since 2022 and was cut Sunday.
Running back Jaleel McLaughlin (5-7, 187) was undrafted out of Youngstown State in 2023. He started his career at Notre Dame College and holds the NCAA record with 8,166 yards rushing.
He played 41 games with the Broncos, carrying 226 times for 1,093 yards and three touchdowns. He has 59 catches for 263 yards and four touchdowns.
Tight end Messiah Swinson (6-7, 259) and defensive tackle Chris Williams (6-2, 298) were also signed to the practice squad. Swinson hasn’t appeared in an NFL game, while Williams has played in 44 with the Colts and Bears and spent time on Cleveland’s practice squad in 2023.
NOT THE TIME
Rookie Taylen Green, who made the team as the No. 3 quarterback, is 6-6 and runs a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. That combination leaves some to wonder about a potential position switch.
Silence is golden as Taylen Green makes 53-man roster
“I’m a quarterback through and through, and I’m sticking to that,” he said Thursday after the preseason finale.
Coach Todd Monken was asked if he’s thought about seeing if Green could play receiver.
“It’s hard now. It’s hard to be elite at one thing, let alone switch to something you didn’t really play in college,” he said. “At this point he’s a quarterback, and there’s really nothing we can do now. Let’s say we put him at receiver or on special teams and he got his shoulder knocked around, or his back. Especially with us putting Dillon (Gabriel) on IR, that’s really not something we want to engage right now.”
BRING IT ON
Monken loved the temperature creeping toward 90 degrees.
“It’s going to be hot out there today. The good Lord blessed us with a couple of hot days in a row, which is what we needed,” he said. “That’s where we’re headed in a week (Jacksonville, Florida), so it’s a blessing. That’s what I told the guys.”
EXTRA POINTS
Receiver Isaiah Bond (concussion), right guard Teven Jenkins, Verse and defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. didn’t practice. Verse and Hall watched.
** Campbell was limited through much of training camp with an undisclosed injury but declared himself “good” for the opener.
** The players will practice Wednesday, then have a lift, run and walkthrough Thursday morning before getting Friday-Sunday off, as required by the collective bargaining agreement. They’ll return to practice Monday.
