The Browns placed cornerback Greg Newsome on injured reserve, per a team announcement.
The Browns have just four games remaining in the regular season and have been eliminated from playoff contention, so Newsome’s IR stint will end his season.
The former first-round pick felt a “pop” in his left hamstring late in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s 27-14 loss against the Steelers on Sunday, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Newsome underwent surgery on the same hamstring at the beginning of training camp, though he was able to recover before the regular season started. While the two injuries may not be directly related, it’s still a point of concern for a cornerback entering a contract year.
The Browns picked up Newsome’s fifth-year option back in April, so he is under contract for $13.377MM in 2025, though he will likely be looking for a long-term extension before the start of next season. He has yet to play a full season in the NFL due to injuries with an average of 13.5 games per season.
Cleveland also waived wide receiver Kadarius Toney after a rough showing on punt returns in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh. A taunting penalty on a fair catch was his first mistake, followed by a muffed return recovered by the Steelers that dashed any remaining hope of a Browns comeback. Given his struggles over the last few seasons, especially on Sunday, Toney is unlikely to be claimed on waivers and will become a free agent looking for his fourth NFL team since 2022.