Dae’Quan Wright, who the Cleveland Browns added to their roster a little over a week ago, is now eligible to return to college football. And get this: it looks like he is ready to jump ship back to Ole Miss. This isn’t your average training camp saga, folks. This is a wild, precedent-setting twist that’s going to have NFL teams everywhere scratching their heads.
The Lawsuit That Blew Up the Rulebook
Cleveland brought in Wright, a 2025 second-team All-SEC tight end, because their tight end room had more question marks than answers after Harold Fannin Jr. The team was looking for some talent, some fresh blood to shore things up for the season. But while the ink was still drying on his NFL contract, Wright was also locked in a major legal battle. He joined fellow Ole Miss starters Zxavian Harris and Wydett Williams, along with 30 other athletes, in a lawsuit against the NCAA.
Then, Wednesday happened. A temporary restraining order was granted, a ruling that absolutely shakes up the amateur sports landscape. What does that mean for these players? It means they can now go back to college for another season. Think about that for a second: a guy signs an NFL deal, and then a court says, “Nah, you can go back to school if you want.” Wild!
Wright’s Great Escape and Cleveland’s Headache
So, what’s Wright doing with this newfound freedom? According to ESPN, he is going to ask for his release from Cleveland. Yep, just like that. Attorney Ryan Downton, representing the players, confirmed that they have expressed interest in being released from their NFL contracts. The deadline for this whole thing is September 1: if their NFL teams release them by then, these players are cleared to join a college roster under the restraining order.
Talk about a bad look for Cleveland. Wright has been a no-show at Berea, the Browns’ training camp, for days now. And let’s be real, even if he *was* there, the guy already faced an uphill climb to even sniff the roster after not participating in the team’s first preseason game. Now, the Browns are staring down a September 1 deadline to decide if they release a player they just signed, all because of an NCAA ruling.
This isn’t just a minor setback for Cleveland. It throws their tight end depth chart into chaos yet again. For Wright, it is a chance to rewrite his own story, even if it means a quick U-turn on his professional career. This situation is far from over, and everyone in football is watching to see how this new “normal” plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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