Dating back to last offseason, Luke Floriea has done everything in his power to make the Cleveland Browns' roster. A hometown kid from Mentor, Ohio, and a former standout at Kent State, he plays with a chip on his shoulder — the kind typical of those who have always had to prove themselves.
Floriea looked like a roster lock in 2025 before a hamstring injury got in the way. He still spent the season on the practice squad, entering this summer's training camp with an even bigger case to make for himself.
Thus far, he's done and said all the right things to make the cut. But the Browns may not want to carry six wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster.
Judging by Todd Monken's comments following Thursday night's preseason finale, the Browns might still be on the fence on Floriea.
“Is that not cool as hell?” Monken said of Floriea’s two touchdown catches against the Patriots. “For that kid, in the state, with the Browns, like, remembered forever — I’ll remember it forever. Because we’re all human. Just to see your players smile and have success. All the work they put in. Really cool. I’m just so happy for him.
"Has Luke made it hard for us? Of course he has," Monken added. "And that’s what you hope, that a player, when the lights are the brightest, they show up. And he has.”
The Browns' roster crunch could leave one of training camp's biggest success stories on the outside looking in
Unlike last season, Floriea was facing much more competition for a roster spot this time. Rookie draft picks KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston were obvious locks, and barring a last-second trade, so is veteran Jerry Jeudy.
Isaiah Bond has had a strong camp after a disappointing rookie campaign, and Tylan Wallace's special teams contributions and familiarity with Todd Monken put him next in line. Floriea has essentially been battling it out with Malachi Corley and Gage Larvadain for the hypothetical sixth spot.
Of course, this doesn't mean Floriea won't make the cut as a sixth wideout. If anything, he's created a great problem for Monken's coaching staff. But with the head coach talking about Floriea as "something he'll remember," it sounds like he's more likely to start the 2026 regular season on the practice squad.
Floriea finished the preseason with five catches for 86 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the preseason finale. He made every quarterback look good in training camp, making big play after big play and showcasing his craftiness and toughness on every rep.
The Browns went from having arguably the worst wide receiver room in football to having to make a tough decision about who's in and who's out. That's a testament to the front office's impressive turnaround, but it's also sad to know a fan favorite with local ties may have to watch from afar despite doing everything asked of him this offseason.
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