Browns Add Wide Receiver To Roster

The bottom of the Cleveland Browns roster is likely to be in constant turnover as Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine remake it in their own image. Shortly after teams cut down their rosters to 53 men the Browns added big receiver LaRon Byrd from the Dallas Cowboys.

Fans at the time had high hopes for Byrd as his size, speed combination was missing from the receiving ranks. Instead Byrd has been inactive for the first three games and now is being cut to make room for another big receiver, Rodney Smith.

Smith was recently cut by the Minnesota Vikings, who are surprisingly deep at receiver, when they needed to add a quarterback with Teddy Bridgewater out injured. Smith has played on special teams during his two year career, appearing in five games.

Coming out of Florida State Smith wowed at the combine standing at 6’5″ and running a 4.43 40 yard dash. He was undrafted and signed by the Vikings quickly after the end of the draft.

Smith seems to have a number of traits that could help him be successful in the NFL. He hasn’t had a great chance to show them off though. His slight frame is also a concern in the pros. Here are a couple of videos showing Smith in action at FSU:

With the Browns the odds are low that Smith will see the field anytime soon. Yet they will have him for at least three weeks to see what they can do with him. If he struggles or doesn’t show much, like Byrd apparently, expect him to be gone in a few weeks and replaced by another receiver.

Are you worried about the Browns receiving corp?