Cleveland Browns claim 5 on waivers, sign 4 to practice squad

The Cleveland Browns were busy on Sunday in claiming five players on waivers. Here’s a quick look at the new members of the team.

The Cleveland Browns claimed five players, four on the defensive side of the ball, on Sunday from the wavier wire, according to NFL.com.

Joining the club are:

• Outside linebacker Corey Lemonier, formerly with the San Francisco 49ers
• Cornerback Marcus Burley, formerly with the Seattle Seahawks
• Running back George Atkinson, formerly with the Oakland Raiders
• Cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, formerly with the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Defensive end Tyrone Holmes, formerly with the Jacksonville Jaguars

To clear out space on the roster for the new players, the Browns waived defensive back Trey Caldwell, linebacker Cam Johnson, running back Raheem Mostert and running back Terrell Watson. They also terminated the contract of DB Rahim Moore Sr.

Caldwell becomes the only one of the team’s 14 draft picks to not make the active roster, although he is a candidate for the practice squad if he clears waivers.

Speaking of the practice squad, the Browns added four players: offensive tackle Dan France, tight end Connor Hamlett, wide receiver Darius Jennings and offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson.

More from Dawg Pound Daily

• How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
• Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
• 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
• Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
• 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target

Lemonier was a third-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft by the 49ers, but only had one sack in 401 career pass-rush attempts. San Francisco is as thin at outside linebackers as the Browns are at cornerback, so the fact that they let him go could be a troubling sign. Of course, with Chip Kelly calling the shots with the 49ers, and Jim O’Neil running the defense, the talent evaluation in the Bay City may not be up to speed.

Burley spent two seasons with the Seahawks, making one start, intercepting two passes and posting two sacks. According to 12th Man Rising, Burley “doesn’t have the length, but he has tremendous short-area quickness.  Injuries to other players have pushed Burley onto the field during his two season in Seattle, and he’s played well overall when given chances.”

Atkinson hasn’t done anything at the NFL level since leaving Notre Dame following the 2013 season, although he did lead the Raiders during the preseason with 191 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while adding six catches for 60 yards. He could be in line for a role in for a look in the return game, especially if he can do this:

Boddy-Calhoun spent training camp with the Jaguars after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota. According to CBS Sports, Boddy-Calhoun is “terrific at tracking the ball and using timing to disrupt the catch point,” but his “reliability as a tackler needs improvement with his lack of size and muscle showing up often in run support.”

Next: Browns: The dawn of another new era

Holmes was a sixth-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft and was a player the team was reportedly looking to sign to its practice squad. He posted 18 sacks and 24 tackles for loss during his senior year at Montana State, numbers that must have certainly caught the attention of a Browns team desperate to harass opposing quarterbacks.