Cleveland Browns sign cornerback C.J. Smith

The Cleveland Browns practice squad is not full at 10 players after the team signed cornerback C.J. Smith.

The Cleveland Browns filled out their practice squad on Friday by signing cornerback C.J. Smith.

The team announced the transaction on its website.

Smith is in his second year in the league after spending the 2016 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, who signed Smith as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State. He spent all of training camp and the preseason with the Eagles before being released in the final roster cut down.

Philadelphia added him to its practice squad and Smith spent the first five weeks of the 2016 season there. He joined the active roster for Week 6 and played the remainder of the season, primarily as a special teams player, although he did get in for one play on defense.

In August, the Eagles team website touted Smith as a player who was “very much in the mix” to land a roster spot, and Smith was hopeful of making jump from his rookie season:

"“Now I’ve been through it all. I had the chance to play in four preseason games. Then I watched a lot of ball during the regular season and learned about situations and what to expect and I learned about my coaches, things like that. I think now I’m playing faster. I’m playing with more confidence. I’ve been through all of this before.”"

The 5-foot-9 and 189-pound Smith did not survive the final roster cut down, however, and spent Week 1 on Philadelphia’s practice squad before being released this week when the Eagles signed offensive tackle Victor Salako.

When he entered the league Smith was more well-known as being the college roommate of Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz, but it sounds as if has done enough to get noticed on his own right, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz told philly.com in training camp:

"“Last year at this time, his head was swimming. He was coming from North Dakota State and everything was new to him. Now he’s been able to work more on technique. He’s been able to win matchups and things like that. He’s an improved player from Year 1 to Year 2, and I think that’s the sign that he’s on the right track. All rookies, all players are inconsistent, particularly young players, but he’s been very assignment-sound, and when you can do that, then you can start working on the other things.”"

The Browns are set at cornerback with Jamar Taylor, Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Jason McCourty, as well as rookie Howard Wilson waiting in the wings as he recovers from an offseason knee injury, so Smith’s time on the practice squad will likely not be a brief one.

Next: DPD Podcast: Previewing Week 2

But if he continues the upward trend he displayed in Philadelphia over the summer, he may force his way onto the active roster before the season comes to a close.