It wouldn't be an NFL season if the Cleveland Browns weren't plagued by injury troubles. Unfortunately for Kevin Stefanski, that exact same story has played out again early in 2025, as Cleveland manages a number of health issues at key positions.
One of the areas of the roster bitten by the injury bug is wide receiver. Incumbent David Bell is still not on the field for the Browns after a hip issue caused him to miss all but one game last campaign. Meanwhile, WR continued to be rocked in Cleveland's preseason opener, as rookie wideouts Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain both went down.
Unfortunately for the former, his ailment is serious enough to end his stint with the team -- but there's some hope for his potential return as well.
The Browns waived WR Luke Floriea from injured reserve. This will be an injury settlement that will allow him to return to Cleveland after a certain period of time. Unclear exactly how long that will be, as it depends on the size of the settlement. https://t.co/GPqMeQDlnb
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 13, 2025
Browns Leave Door Open for Hometown Hero WR to Return
Wednesday afternoon, the Browns announced they had waived Floriea from the injured reserve list. ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi points out that this was done so the two sides could reach an injury settlement, which then opens up the opportunity for the former Kent State standout to re-sign down the line. Otherwise, his season would've been over if he remained on IR due to the NFL's preseason restrictions on that front.
This is promising news on several fronts. First, it shows that Cleveland is trying to do right by a promising young player and Ohio native it took a chance on and wants to keep that line of communication open. Also, this hints that Floriea's injury isn't on the season-ending side, since both parties elected to take the route that allows him to come back at a later date.
That being said, Floriea does have an uphill battle to get back on the Browns' at some point this season. Stefanski admitted the rookie suffered a likely "serious" hamstring injury in the preseason opener, so he'll need to get 100% right from a notoriously troublesome ailment before he's able to even think about catching on with a team.
There's also no guarantee Cleveland is in the same WR position whenever Floriea is ready to return. The Browns still have a majority of the preseason to evaluate the likes of Larvadain, Diontae Johnson, DeAndre Carter, Kaden Davis, Cade McDonald, and Kisean Johnson for the supporting roles alongside Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Jamari Thrash.
Floriea has shown flashes in camp, and his 30-yard reception in the opener also showcased his potential to make plays for this offense, but Cleveland may prefer to go with a more proven veteran if it's in desperate need of receiver help in-season. Especially if the team makes a dark horse run at a playoff spot.
Surely Floriea has made an impression on coaches since being signed right after the draft, though, so that could work in his favor once he's healthy again. He could be a perfect youngster to stash on the practice squad at the very least.