The Cleveland Browns announced a roster move. They sent linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk to Injured Reserve and brought back defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II to the 53-man roster. The Browns released the vested veteran, who is unexposed to the waiver wire, with a promise to re-sign him after moving Kunaszyk to the short-term injured reserve.
If a player is moved to the injured reserve list before the final cuts, they are ineligible to play for the season as they recover from their injuries. Jakeem Grant, Jacob Phillips, and Thomas Graham Jr. fall into this category. After the final cuts, a player placed on injured reserve can return to the active roster after four games or until they’ve healed. A team is allowed to bring back eight players from the injured reserve per season. The Browns will use one of those transactions on Kunasyzk. Once a player is moved to the injured reserve list, a roster spot opens up.
Buy Browns TicketsKunasyzk suffered an MCL tear in the Browns’ preseason finale. The injury can take upwards of three months to heal depending on the severity. Hopefully, Kunasyzk will have a speedy recovery. The veteran linebacker and special teams ace impressed the new coaching staff during the preseason. Jordan has carved his way into the roster for the second year in a row. The Browns will likely need to rely on Kunaszyk later in the season as the linebacker room does not have a good track record with health.
Maurice Hurst II will have an oversized role in the defense. The veteran is likely to become the primary backup to starters Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris. As the Browns like to rotate their linemen in and out of games to preserve their stamina, expect to see Maurice Hurst II when one of the two starters is out of the game. The Browns need all the bodies they can get to repair a historically bad run defense.
