On the heels of the NFL’s roster cutdown frenzy, the Cleveland Browns held the No. 6 waiver priority, meaning they had their pick of the litter after the first five teams’ claims were processed. They had the opportunity to add multiple players at that spot, too.
General manager Andrew Berry wound up making just one move, and it’s not exactly going to move the needle for fans.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Browns were awarded rookie cornerback Toriano Pride Jr., who was a seventh-round pick of the Buffalo Bills this past April. Pride will join a cornerback depth chart that features Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden, Michael Coats Jr., and Mekhi Blackmon.
Coats has been battling a lower-body injury suffered in training camp, and Blackmon hasn’t yet practiced with the team after being claimed on waivers himself late last week. But the Browns made a surprise roster decision to clear Pride’s spot — releasing veteran Julian Okwara to leave the team with just three true defensive ends in Jared Verse, Isaiah McGuire, and Derek Barnett.
The #Browns are releasing veteran edge Julian Okwara, source says. A move indicative of roster juggling.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2026
Okwara is a vested veteran, so he could still make his way back to the Browns prior to Week 1 as the roster juggling continues.
Pride was waived by the Bills after allowing nine receptions on 11 targets during the preseason, per Pro Football Focus. But the Browns got a more intimate look at the Missouri product during their joint practice with Buffalo on Aug. 20, so the team was clearly intrigued by his upside.
“After we got done practicing with them, his name came up,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said of Pride. “Should he be a 53 casualty would we have interest? And the answer was yes.”
Cleveland’s cornerback depth was thin, but probably less so than more dire position groups like tight end and especially defensive end. The bigger question right now is: Why didn’t Cleveland prioritize those spots on the biggest waiver day of the league year?
Cleveland addressed its cornerback depth, but passed on younger help at two far more pressing positions
The Browns notably passed on a pair of young tight ends — Denver’s Justin Joly and Philadelphia’s Cameron Latu — through the initial wave of waiver claims. That was at least a mild surprise, as Cleveland's current depth chart of Harold Fannin Jr., seventh-round rookie Carsen Ryan, and core special teams veteran Blake Whiteheart leaves much to be desired.
Joly was the highest-drafted player from the 2026 class to be waived. He was taken in the middle of the fifth round, 18 picks ahead of where the Browns selected Joe Royer.
The versatile pass-catching weapon felt like a strong pivot option for Cleveland after Royer was officially placed on the reserve/non-football illness list due to the personal issue that forced him to miss all of training camp. But the Browns passed. The Miami Dolphins claimed Joly with their No. 11 waiver priority.
Latu would have been another intriguing option as a former third-round pick of the 49ers who spent the 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, whose front office is led by Berry’s former mentor in Howie Roseman and twin brother, Adam Berry.
Latu is a big H-back type who the Eagles deployed mostly as a blocker, including out of the backfield. He was also one of Philly’s top special teams performers in 2025, making seven tackles, per PFF. He didn’t generate a ton of interest, though, as he was claimed by the New England Patriots, who had the 31st waiver priority.
As for the edge defenders, those who were cut on Sunday made it through waivers. That makes them unrestricted free agents who are now free to sign onto any team’s active roster or practice squad.
Cleveland almost certainly has another move coming there, unless its preseason experiment with Mike Hall Jr. on the edge is here to stay.
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