Dawgs By Nature
In addition to adding two veteran safeties, Cleveland signs three rookie wide receivers following a successful rookie minicamp.
The Cleveland Browns could not address every roster hole during the 2025 NFL Draft, but general manager Andrew Berry took care of some business on Monday by signing five players.
With the depth chart at the safety position still lacking, the Browns signed a pair of veterans in Damontae Kazee, who spent the past three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Rayshawn Jenkins, who spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Berry then took aim at the wide receiver position, which, even with the addition of free agent Diontae Johnson, is still lacking a bit behind Jerry Jeudy and (if he is healthy) Cedric Tillman.
The team must have liked what they saw during the three-day rookie minicamp over the weekend, as the Browns signed three wide receivers after impressive tryouts in Berea.
First up is Luke Floriea from Kent State, who is coming off a 2024 season where he set highs in receptions (44), yards (699), and touchdowns (7) while posting three 100-yard receiving games.
The 5-foot-10 and 168-pound Floriea spent five seasons in total with the Golden Flashes, playing in 48 games. He finished his collegiate career with 100 receptions for 1,321 yards, 12 touchdowns, and averaged 13.2 yards per catch. He earned All-MAC Third Team honors in his senior season.
Staying in the Mid-American Conference, the Browns also reportedly signed Cade McDonald from Miami (Ohio), who started his collegiate career as a walk-on at Michigan State before transferring to Miami after earning his degree.
The 5-foot-11 and 195-pound McDonald posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (631), and touchdowns (3) while averaging 12.1 yards per catch for the RedHawks in 2024. He played in 45 games between Michigan State and Miami, finishing his collegiate career with 85 receptions for 1,032 yards, six touchdowns, and averaging 12.1 yards per catch.
McDonald also excelled as a punt returner, earning a second-team All-MAC selection his first year with Miami, which opened his eyes to the possibilities of playing in the NFL, as he told Steve Helwick at Hustle Belt:
“I realized that after my first season here when I put up pretty good numbers as a punt returner. I thought to myself I could possibly punt return in the league in a year or two with the skills I put on display in the past season. That really drove me my final year at Miami. I was thinking, ‘Let me put this receiver part to work this year too so I can be a versatile weapon in the NFL.’”
While not a MAC player, the Browns stayed with the small-school theme of the day by signing Kisean Johnson, who started his career at Alabama State before transferring to Western Kentucky for the 2024 season.
The 6-foot-1 and 216-pound Johnson finished last season with 75 receptions for 925 yards and seven touchdowns, which were all team highs for the Hilltoppers. He...
