Tag: Ja’Marcus Bradley

Former Browns WR Ja’Marcus Bradley drafted by XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks

Ja’Marcus Bradley, a former wide receiver for the Browns, has been selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL draft.

The XFL Draft is underway, and the first former member of the Cleveland Browns has been selected. Taken in the second round of the offensive skill draft, wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley is now a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Bradley, who has been with the Browns since 2020, appeared in eight games in his two seasons in Cleveland. Most notable for the New York Jets game in 2020 when half of the team was on the COVID list, Bradley brought in five passes for 60 yards in that game on 11 targets. Bradley finished his time in Cleveland with 124 yards on nine catches.

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Browns sign DE Stephen Weatherly, bring back DT Sheldon Day and 2 others

Weatherly spent most of his first 6 NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings

On a day where the Denzel Ward contract extension grabbed the Cleveland headlines, the Browns quietly restocked the roster with one new free agent signing and bringing back three others from the 2021 squad.

The newcomer is defensive end Stephen Weatherly, who finished the 2021 campaign with the Denver Broncos. Weatherly, 28, has spent most of his six-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. He played for the Vikings when Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was running the Minnesota offense. The 6-5, 262-pound Weatherly also played one year (2020) with the Carolina Panthers.

The most prominent re-signing player is defensive tackle Sheldon Day. He’s joined by WR Ja’Marcus Bradley and OL Michael Dunn, who were exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) who signed their contract tender offers on Monday.

Day played in seven games, starting one, in his first season in Cleveland. He didn’t initially make the Browns despite a strong preseason and training camp, but the 28-year-old Day joined Cleveland in November and played well enough down the stretch to return. He was an unrestricted free agent.

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Browns tender three exclusive rights free agents

Three players tendered today as exclusive rights, likely ensuring their return to the team. A few restricted guys could get their tenders soon as well:

The Cleveland Browns are getting busy with a few decisions that they need to make. Earlier today, the team placed the franchise tag on David Njoku. We discussed that as a possibility, as did ESPN, given how valuable the tight end is seen around the league.

The team has also now placed given tenders to three players making them exclusive rights free agents:

  • OL Blake Hance
  • OL Michael Dunn
  • WR Ja’Marcus Bradley

All three will now return to the team and cannot negotiate with other teams.

Hance played a vital role for the team as offensive lineman after offensive lineman went down with injuries. Dunn was a hero in the 2020 playoffs but didn’t see the field much in 2021 while Bradley played in five games with four catches for 64 yards and two kick returns as well as 53 snaps on special teams.

Next up could be placing tenders on would be restricted free agents that include D’Ernest Johnson, Chase McLaughlin, Nick Mullens and Porter Gustin.

The team also has a number of free agents they may try to retain before the league year officially opens.

Browns practice squad protection and elevation tracker

Tracking who has been protected week by week and also the practice squad elevations for game days

The Browns have protected the same four players on the practice squad for Week 14 as they did in Week 13. And Week 12.

So rather than just regurgitate the protection status for the third week in a row, I thought we’d go back and look at how the Browns have used the protected practice squad status this year. The practice squad elevations for game day are also tracked here. Each player can be elevated from the practice squad to the active gameday roster twice, though players elevated as designated COVID-19 replacements can be used more than just twice.

Week 1

Protected

  • QB Garrett Gilbert
  • S Jovante Moffatt
  • PK Cody Parkey
  • OT Greg Senat

Elevated – CB Robert Jackson

Week 2

Protected

  • QB Garrett Gilbert
  • OT Greg Senat

Elevated – LB Montrel Meander

Week 3 

Protected

  • QB Garrett Gilbert
  • OT Greg Senat
  • RB Dontrell Hilliard
  • PK Matt McCrane

Elevated – CB A.J. Green

Week 4

Protected

  • Garrett Gilbert
  • Greg Senat
  • Matt McCrane
  • DL Joey Ivie

Week 5

The Cowboys signed Senat in the period before he could be protected this week.

Protected

  • Garrett Gilbert
  • Matt McCrane
  • Joey Ivie

Elevated – Joey Ivie

Week 6

The Cowboys struck again, signing Gilbert away in the period before players could be protected.

Protected

  • S Elijah Benton
  • DT Joey Ivie
  • RB John Kelly
  • PK Matt McCrane

Elevated – Elijah Benton

Week 7

There was no record of the Browns protecting any players in Week 7

Week 8

Protected

  • RB John Kelly
  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • DE Cameron Malveaux
  • PK Matthew McCrane

Week 9

Protected

  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • DE Cameron Malveaux
  • PK Matt McCrane
  • OT Alex Taylor

Elevated – OT Michael Dunn

Week 11

Protected

  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • DE Cameron Malveaux
  • PK Matt McCrane
  • OT Alex Taylor

Elevated as COVID-19 replacements – Dunn and Malveaux

Elevated – FB Johnny Stanton

Week 12

Protected

  • OT Michael Dunn
  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • PK Matt McCrane
  • OT Alex Taylor

Elevated as COVID-19 replacement – Dunn, Ivie, Malveaux

Week 13 

Protected

  • OT Michael Dunn
  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • PK Matt McCrane
  • OT Alex Taylor

Elevated – WR Ja’Marcus Bradley

Week 14

Protected

  • OT Michael Dunn
  • QB Kyle Lauletta
  • PK Matt McCrane
  • OT Alex Taylor