Browns sign Ronald Patrick to practice squad
By Thomas Moore
Jul 31, 2014; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard Ronald Patrick (67) at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns signed offensive lineman Ronald Patrick to the practice squad on Monday, the team announced on its website.
To make room for Patrick, the club released offensive lineman Andrew McDonald.
The 6-foot-2, 308-pound Patrick was originally signed by Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and has spent time on the practice squads of both the Cowboys (2014, 2015) and Pittsburgh (2014).
A two-year starter for the South Carolina Gamecocks, Patrick made 25 starts (including 19 in a row) as part of an offensive line that helped the Gamecocks have a productive running game.
According to Garnett & Black Attack:
"Patrick was not considered an elite prospect coming out of Florida in high school, but he worked his way into starting all but a single game at right guard over the past two years, with the game he missed being due to injury. He distinguished himself as a reliable run blocker after moving into the starting lineup, culminating in a 2013 season in which Patrick played a major role in an impressively productive Gamecocks ground attack. He has consistently shown the ability to create holes against interior defenders, and he can also regularly be seen making blocks on the run when the ball carrier gets to the second level."
The fact that the Cowboys, who seem to know a thing or two about offensive lineman, were interested in Patrick makes him an interesting addition to the practice squad by the Browns.