Cleveland Browns release OL Nick McDonald
By Thomas Moore
Oct 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns center Nick McDonald (68) and Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio (75) at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns waived offensive lineman Nick McDonald with an injury designation (knee), the team announced on Wednesday.
McDonald played in eight games with seven starts at center in 2014 as the Browns struggled to fill the void left after center Alex Mack was lost for the season with a leg injury. Prior to losing Mack, the Browns were the seventh-best rushing team in the NFL at 146.4 yards per game. Post-injury, the Browns turned into one of the worst running teams in the league, averaging a little more than 88 yards a game.
McDonald spent the first six weeks of the season on the reserve/non-football injury list with a wrist injury before being activated in an attempt to fill in for Mack.
With Mack well on his way to reclaiming his starting spot, and the Browns having drafted Cameron Erving (who played center for his final five games at Florida State), the team has the center position covered and decided to move on from McDonald.
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The Browns originally claimed McDonald off waivers from the San Diego Chargers in July of last year. An undrafted free agent signed by the Green Bay Packers out of Grand Valley State in 2010, McDonald was inactive for all 16 games of his rookie season with the Packers.
He spent two seasons with New England, playing in 12 games in 2012 before being waived by the Patriots and not playing in 2013. McDonald signed with the Chargers in January of 2014, but didn’t make it to training camp with San Diego before being released.
Overall, McDonald has appeared in 24 career games with Green Bay, New England and the Browns. He appeared in 44 games with 29 starts at Grand Valley State, leading the Lakers to the Division III National Championship game as a senior in 2009.
What do you think about the moves the Browns have made so far to help the offensive line?