Why Browns waived, re-signed and elevated DE Joe Jackson this week

Why did the Browns cut Joe Jackson, then sign him and elevate him to the game-day roster in the same week?  

Why did the Cleveland Browns waive defensive end Joe Jackson, re-sign him to the practice squad, and then elevate him to the game-day roster all in the same week? What, are they nuts, cannot figure out whether they love him or hate him, like Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson, or what?

No, it actually makes sense, and it’s all linebacker Anthony Walker‘s fault. In fact, Walker should be taking Jackson out to dinner every night this week because he cost Jackson a decent chunk of change.

The situation is that Walker went on the Injured Reserve, with a designation to return, which means that the Browns were allowed to bring him back after sitting out three games to recover. Walker had had a great opening game, with 10 tackles, but had a bum hamstring when it was all over.

Okay, now it’s Week 5, and someone needs to go in order to create a roster spot for Walker. At this point, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry decided to take a gamble and try to have his cake and eat it too. Joe Jackson was waived, and the gamble was that he would clear waivers.

Jackson is a third-year player with limited playing experience with the Dallas Cowboys, and has contributed for the Browns as part of the rotation on the defensive line, and also on special teams. With Jadeveon Clowney and Takkarist McKinley not at 100 percent, Berry and the coaching staff did not want to lose Jackson.

The gamble was that they could waive Jackson and he might clear waivers because of his $850,000 salary. This in fact happened, allowing Cleveland to re-sign him to the practice squad.
There is a rule that practice squad players can each receive a temporary promotion to the active roster twice per year and revert back to the practice squad after the game. Okay, Mr. Jackson, you are promoted.

Cleveland also promoted safety Jovante Moffatt, another player who has bounced back and forth between the regular team and the practice squad a few times. Moffatt is a good special teams player and will likely see game action versus Los Angeles.

Thus, the Browns have a 55-player active roster to draw from, consisting of the 53 regular players and two temporarily promoted practice squad players.

At press time, information was not available concerning the size of Jackson’s contract. He probably received the standard practice squad deal, which is to say, a massive pay cut from what he has become accustomed to. That is why Walker should be taking Jackson out to dinner this week.

The good news for Jackson is that he can only be temporarily promoted for two games, and then Cleveland presumably will find a way to restore his roster spot (and his regular salary), hopefully for the rest of the season.