The Cleveland Browns are coming off a BYE week and will travel to Louisiana to face the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. During their BYE, the Browns made two roster moves ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline, including trading Za’Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Detroit Lions for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. They also parted ways with a veteran defensive lineman.
Also Read: Lions Get Interesting Grade After Za’Darius Smith Trade at Deadline
The Cleveland Browns released a veteran DT last week
The Browns released Quinton Jefferson during the NFL Trade Deadline. Jefferson couldn’t carve out a role in his first season in Cleveland. After playing the first five games, they made him a healthy scratch for Weeks 6-8. After failing to find a trade suitor, the team decided it was best to part ways with the veteran defensive tackle.
Since the Browns placed JOK on injured reserve, traded Za’Darius Smith, and released Quinton Jefferson, they have three vacancies on their active roster. Today, the team used one of their three vacancies on a rookie defensive back.
The Cleveland Browns poached a rookie CB off an NFC East team’s practice squad
On X, the Cleveland Browns announced they had poached Chigozie Anusiem off the Washington Commanders’s practice squad. Due to NFL rules, Anusiem must receive at least three weekly guaranteed checks and counts against the 53-man roster, even if the Browns were to release him before the three weeks are up.
We’ve signed CB Chigozie Anusiem to the active roster from Washington’s practice squad
📰 » https://t.co/oDsxG4n1Do pic.twitter.com/y3N200QYID
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 13, 2024
A quick review of his young NFL career
After spending six years of college football for the California Golden Bears from 2018-21 and the Colorado State Rams from 2022 to 2023, Chigozie Anusiem went undrafted during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Washington Commanders signed him as an undrafted free agent. Unfortunately, the Commanders released him during the roster cutdown deadline but signed him to their practice squad, of which he spent the first two months of his rookie season.
Anusiem will likely see some playing time on special teams, primarily on punting duties and field goal defense.
