Lane Kiffin and Co. have an agreement in place to land the ex-Ole Miss Rebels tight end, eyeing history as first player to go from the NFL back to college.
The LSU Tigers remain in headlines this offseason with Lane Kiffin and Co. continuing to send shockwaves across college football with 12 days until kickoff.
On Sunday, the buzz grew greater with reports swirling that the Cleveland Browns would be waiving ex-Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright - where he has an agreement in place to suit up for LSU in 2026.
In a historic move, Wright is believed to be the first player who could play for an NFL team, and then return to college football - verbally committing to Kiffin and Co. for the upcoming season. If he clears waivers, sources told Geaux247 that Wright would make his way to Baton Rouge immediately.
Wright was one of 16 players who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in the state of Louisiana this week - fighting for additional eligibility. The court ruled that the 16 players, some of which were competing in NFL training camps, could return to college with eligibility for the 2026 season.
After playing four seasons of college football - two at Virginia Tech and the latter two at Ole Miss - Wright went undrafted before signing a deal with the Eagles. He was then waived before signing with the Cleveland Browns - where he was then waived again on Aug. 23.
He broke out under Lane Kiffin in 2025 while in Oxford as he finished with 39 catches for 635 yards, five touchdowns and 16.3 yards per catch.
Across the entirety of his college career, Wright totaled 113 catches for 1,603 yards, nine touchdowns and 14.2 yards per catch over the course of 47 games.
Now, social media is swirling with SEC Network's Paul Finebaum weighing in on college football "plunging into the abyss" after the move.
"College football has officially plunged into the abyss," Finebaum said on Get Up. "We have never been at a place like this before. There have been scandals far more serious, but this is a new low in terms of the machinations of the legal system, the NCAA, and all these things.
"It's just incomprehensible to think that someone was on an NFL roster the other day and he very well could be playing for LSU a week from this Saturday, but it's the way things are right now."
Finebaum then doubled down on his take - believing that this is a new low in college football with Wright going from the NFL back to college - claiming the SEC must step in.
"And the one thing that I think everybody is waiting for, callers are outraged, fans are outraged across the board, what can, if anything, the Southeastern Conference do about it," Finebaum said. "There has not been a puff of smoke from the headquarters building in downtown Birmingham. Something will be said at some point.
"There is a president's meeting at some point today or tomorrow, and I think that the league would like to speak as a group, with the exception of LSU, which has always been a bit of a renegade, and that will be equally anticipated. But until then, Greeny, it's just chaos."
Now, as the clock ticks until Wright officially clears waivers, all eyes are on the LSU Tigers where the program is just hours away from landing an immediate impact tight end 12 days before the 2026 season.
This article originates on Geaux247.
Report: Cleveland Browns Todd Monken to Name Deshaun Watson the Starting Quarterback
The long awaited quarterback decision has been made.
BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns were expected to name the Browns starting quarterback on Monday and per usual, national NFL outlets were the first to report the move. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN and multiple reports, Browns coach Todd Monken is set to announce that Deshaun Watson will be the team's starting quarterback when the Browns take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.
Just in: Deshaun Watson has been named Cleveland’s starting quarterback for week 1 at Jacksonville. pic.twitter.com/34BNUahkXs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2026
The Browns have held an open competition between Watsonn and Shedeur Sanders since the OTAs began in the offseason program Monken said that his decision is about who will give the Browns the best chance to beat the Jaguars in Week One.
"I think even with (the Bills game), we have to take in the full body of work," Monken said. "That's just one opportunity that they had on the field, both of them, just like the week before was an opportunity, just like the practices against the Bills were an opportunity to showcase their ability and other's ability and where they're at at this point and where we're at as an offense. So, I don't look at it that way. I look at what has been the full body of work, and then ultimately, who gives us the best chance to win week one."
Monken said the quarterback that he chooses to start is who he thinks will give the Browns the best chance to win to start the season.
"Our job is to put the best product and the best players on the field that we feel like give us the best chance to move the football, score points, and win games," he said. "So ultimately, that's what I look at, irrespective of outside noise. I don't worry about that."
Sanders started and played the first half in the loss to the Bills and was 9-of-11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His QB rating was 87.1. Watson played the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. Watson was just 5-of-12 for 36 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. His QB rating was 14.6.
Watson was booed on several occasions in his first home game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon in October 2024, an injury for which he underwent two surgeries and missed all of the 2025 season. After the game, in the post game press conference Watson ripped Browns fans and brought up when he was injured almost two years ago.
"The whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance," Watson said after the game. "It's a little bit (more) personal than that. So I think it's a disrespectful thing. So yeah, I mean, I'm going to keep whatever I feel with me and my family internally on how I feel about that. And yeah, just move on.
"Last time I played on this field, I tore my Achilles. And that same fanbase, they cheered when I got hurt," Watson also said. "So what does that have to do with anything about performance? When a person gets hurt, especially for your own city, and they cheer?"
Monken was asked on Sunday if Watson's comments would affect the decision at starting quarterback.
"It does not."
The Browns open the season with two road games in Florida, with the Jaguars and the Buccaneers. The Browns first home game is Week 3, on Sept. 27 against the Panthers. Monken said he is not worried about that game when asked about the reception Watson could get in the home opener.
"I'll go backwards then forwards," he said. "I'm not concerned about the first home game. I'm concerned about who will give us the best chance to win the first week. We'll get to that when we get to it. My reaction was, a young man who has worked awfully hard to get back to where he is now, and he wants to, in the worst way, to play winning football for the Browns organization and the fans.
"It didn't go as we had hoped or as he did, I'm sure," he said. "I think we have to be a little careful of judging someone right after he goes out to play, feeling like he's put in the work, and then to not perform as well as he wanted. We all want to be appreciated. He spoke from the heart, and I don't ever blame someone that speaks from the heart.
"If someone were to ask if I feel like he doesn't have confidence, I don't see that," he said. "Every day I see a young man who has confidence, and he wanted to perform in the worst way at a high level."
Monken has said that the starters will not play in the final preseason on Thursday night at Huntington Bank Field, so Watson will not be subject to playing before the home crowd until at least Sept. 27.
More to come after Monken speaks to the media around noon...
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