Former Browns Specialist Joins AFC North Rival Ahead of Week 11
It's safe to say that the Cleveland Browns' season is over. The playoffs are an unrealistic expectation at this point as the Browns sit at the bottom of the AFC North with a 2-7 record through 10 weeks, leaving the fanbase looking for other ways to pass the remainder of the campaign.
Checking in on former Cleveland players is one useful time-killing tool that fans are using to get by. Dozens of players around the league have enjoyed a stop with the franchise and one ex-Brown just received a new employment opportunity on Monday afternoon.
Browns News: Cincinnati Bengals Sign RB Gary Brightwell
Veteran running back/kick returner Gary Brightwell has officially signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The 25-year-old specialist will begin his tenure on the practice squad as he waits for bigger opportunities to emerge.
Source: The #Bengals are bolstering their RB room, agreeing to a deal with former #Giants RB Gary Brightwell. He will start on the practice squad, I’m told.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 11, 2024
Cincinnati had a plethora of veteran players in the building today for visits/workouts. pic.twitter.com/sZGWSLYXLf
Browns fans will remember Brightwell from a short stint in town this year. The ex-Arizona product bounced around between the practice squad and waivers beginning in August before being waived by the franchise at the end of October.
Brightwell's signing comes as injuries plague Cincinnati's RB room. Zack Moss (neck) was placed on the injured reverse earlier this month while Khalil Herbert was limited to two offensive snaps behind RB1 Chase Brown in Week 9 after being acquired from the Chicago Bears earlier in the week.
It'll be interesting to see if Brightwell earns any playing time with the Browns' AFC North rival. The former 2021 sixth-rounder hasn't seen a ton of offensive opportunities in his career, recording only 256 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 52 carries across 39 games.
Brightwell didn't see a single offensive snap in the two games he ended up playing with the Browns. Much like he's been throughout most of his NFL tenure, the Chester, PA native was limited to a special teams role in Cleveland, returning two kicks for 16 total yards. He's averaging 21.1 return yards on 28 kicks returned since 2022.
Browns fans won't have a chance to see Brightwell until Week 16's road matchup with the Bengals. The AFC North foes previously clashed at Huntington Bank Field in Week 7, ending in a 21-14 win for Cincinnati.
There's over a month to go before that matchup, though, and Cleveland must focus on the present. The Browns are currently approaching Sunday's Week 11 clash with the slumping New Orleans Saints as 1.5-point road underdogs on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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