Browns' Paul Kruger calls his release 'wrong decision'
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Aug 30, 2016
In total Cleveland signed him to a five-year, $40 million contract to be their top pass rusher. His release saves the Browns $5.3 million in cap space. Rookie second-round draft pick Emmanuel Ogbah or rookie fourth-round selection Joe Schobert could become the new starting outside linebacker opposite Nate Orchard.
The Meridian native appeared in three games past year for the Browns, starting two.
Although his production dropped from 11 sacks in 2014 to just 2 1/2 last season, Kruger brought experience and leadership to Cleveland's young defense. Now, with rosters soon reducing from 90 to 53, Kruger will be hard pressed to begin to replace the $6.5 million that he won't be earning with the Browns. For the other roster cuts from Monday, scroll to the bottom.
Hue Jackson wants to see more of his starters before the 2016 season opener.
The Browns are coming off a 30-13 loss Friday at Tampa Bay in a game that saw shortcomings emerge in all three phases.
"I felt pretty good, just being able to be out there with my teammates, live action, playing my game", Haden told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
Haden struggled previous year, although that was in large part because of injuries. The Browns let him go now, before the finals cuts on Saturday, so he'd have a chance to catch on with another team.
The Browns roster is now at 76 players.
He thanked the Haslams for his great three years here, and for the "relentless fans" in Cleveland.
Davis and Hayden are the biggest names outside of Kruger. They also placed DL Nike Lawrence-Stample and RB Glenn Winston on injured reserve. That leaves Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown and Cody Kessler as the likely QB depth chart for the Browns. In last weekend's games, the Dallas Cowboys lost quarterback Tony Romo to a fractured vertebra, and the Baltimore Ravens lost tight end Ben Watson to a torn Achilles tendon. "We need to get better as a football team as we continue to move forward".