Dawgs By Nature
The Cleveland Browns made a series of roster moves on Saturday, including one that could signal the end of a veteran’s tenure in town.
First up, the Browns signed safety Christopher Edmonds to the active roster from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
The 6-foot-2 and 210-pound Edmonds originally signed with the Browns in 2024 as an undrafted free agent. He has appeared in eight games across the past two seasons, playing 128 snaps on special teams.
Next ,the news came that defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. is now questionable for the game after coming down with an illness. With defensive tackle Maliek Collins already on injured reserve, the Browns are a bit thin at the position, so they decided to elevate defensive tackles Keith Cooper Jr. and Maurice Hurst II from the practice squad.
The 6-foot-5 and 280-pound Cooper signed with the Detroit Lions earlier this year as an undrafted free agent. He spent part of this season on Detroit’s practice squad without appearing in a game, and the Browns added Cooper to their practice squad on December 9.
Cleveland brought Hurst back to town on December 10 when they signed him to the practice squad. The 6-foot-2 and 290-pound Hurst was with the Browns in 2023 and 2024, playing in 21 games and posting a fumble recovery, two sacks, an interception, and 38 tackles, including eight tackles for loss.
Hurst was a free agent after the 2024 season, but did not sign with a team, so if he plays against the Bills, it will be his first action of the season.
Finally, and not to bury the lede (too much), the Browns placed veteran right tackle Jack Conklin on injured reserve as he continues to deal with a concussion.
Conklin, who is set to become a free agent after the season, has experienced another injury-filled season in 2025. He injured his elbow on the first series of the season, suffered concussions in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, and a knee injury in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns signed Conklin in free agency before the 2020 season, which turned out to be his best with the team as he started 15 games and earned his second First Team All-Pro selection. It has been a rough go since then, however, as injuries have limited him to seven games in 2021, one game in 2023, and just eight games this season.
Conklin is the third member of the Week 1 starting offensive line to land on injured reserve, joining left tackle Dawand Jones and center Ethan Pocic.
