Cleveland Browns waive cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns waived second-year cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu on Saturday.
In a bit of a surprise move, the Cleveland Browns waived cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu on Saturday.
The Browns announced the move on the team website.
Ekpre-Olomu missed the entire 2015 season while rehabilitating from a torn ACL and dislocated his knee injury suffered during practice for the 2015 Rose Bowl. The Browns took a calculated gamble by taking Ekpre-Olomu, who prior to his injury was considered at least a second-round draft pick, in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The second-year player apparently was not progressing enough from his injury at this time for the Browns to allow him to participate in the off-season workouts that begin on Monday.
Although there are reports to the contrary:
Note on Ifo Ekpre-Olumu. I'm told he's 100% healthy and feels certain he'll be playing football at a high level this year.
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) April 2, 2016
I’m told Ifo Ekpre-Olomu fully intends to play in 2016 and feels close to full health. He’s had a long climb. https://t.co/bQ3Vzh9F5X
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 2, 2016
It’s a tough break for Ekpre-Olomu, who was optimistic a few weeks ago when he posted on his Instagram account about his recovery.
“I’m not quite 100 [percent] yet, but I’m close and in the next couple of weeks I’ll show you some of the progress I’ve made,” Ekpre-Olomu shared through the social media channel.
It’s also a cruel reminder of life in the NFL as, despite missing the entire 2015 season, Ekpre-Olomu made just about the same contribution as former first-round draft pick Justin Gilbert, who still remains on the Browns’ roster.
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Shortly after being drafted, Ekpre-Olomu talked about embracing the challenge of returning from his injury.
“People doubting you thinking you’re not going to be able to come back and play, you’re not going to be at the level you once were. I think that’s really what motivates you every day,” he told the Brown’s website. “You know what you’re capable of doing. I know how my body feels. You just have to ready to take it day by day and that’s really given me that motivation every day I wake up. Just forget about what happened and what’s going to happen the next day and just focus on what I can improve today.”
While his time in Cleveland has come to a close for now, if no one else signs Ekpre-Olomu there is always the possibility that the Browns could look to bring him back in the future if he makes more progress in his injury rehabilitation.