Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Dae’Quan Wright is making headlines for all the wrong reasons this week, showing up in the NCAA transfer portal on Thursday despite being signed to an NFL team. If you’re scratching your head wondering what’s going on, you are not alone; even Browns head coach Todd Monken sounds completely baffled by the unprecedented situation unfolding right now.
What Is Even Happening Here?
Wright’s pro journey has been a whirlwind. He was a tight end at Ole Miss, went undrafted, then signed a free agency deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Earlier this month, the Eagles waived him, and the Browns swooped in to claim him off waivers. Everything seemed pretty standard until he appeared in the college transfer portal. Monken couldn’t hold back his exasperation when asked about Wright’s status after Saturday’s preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills, reportedly just laughing and saying, “Man, ain’t this sh** crazy? I mean I don’t even know what to say.” Seriously, can you blame him? This is wild stuff.
A Loophole So Big, Even Lane Kiffin Noticed
So, how does a professional player end up trying to transfer back to college? Wright isn’t the only one trying to pull this off. A judge recently granted a temporary restraining order to a group of players, letting them enter a week-long transfer portal and seek another year of NCAA eligibility, even if they’re on NFL rosters. This whole mess kicked off after another judge granted a fifth year of eligibility to the high school class of 2022. The NCAA, of course, is appealing that ruling. Wright became the very first pro player to actually jump through this new loophole. Monken mentioned that Wright had a medical issue preventing him from practicing, but he was cleared and dressed for Saturday’s game, though he didn’t take any snaps. “When you don’t rep, it’s hard to put him on the field,” Monken said, which makes total sense.
And get this: Monken also shared a telling anecdote about former Ole Miss coach, now LSU head coach, Lane Kiffin. “I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago, now I know. Sh**, I didn’t know, now I know. I didn’t call him back, guess I should’ve,” Monken quipped. The ruling on this eligibility chaos came from a judge in Louisiana, and the primary plaintiff is former LSU edge rusher Jack Pyburn. Three players in this group, including Wright, are former Ole Miss players, meaning a reunion with Kiffin at LSU is absolutely on the table. For now, Wright is still practicing with Cleveland after being medically cleared, but beyond that, it seems like nobody, including Monken, has a clue what’s coming next. This whole situation is a total mess for the league and college football alike.
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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