Jaleel McLaughlin, the former Denver Broncos running back, has officially signed onto the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad, according to 850 ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi. This move comes after a pretty wild ride for the four-year veteran, one that nobody really saw coming.
The Bronco Exit That Had Everyone Scratching Their Heads
McLaughlin, a guy who actually joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and quickly made a strong impression, got waived by Denver on Sunday. And the truly surprising part? He went unclaimed on the waiver wire! Seriously, a player who became a key member of their offense, appearing in 41 games for the Broncos, tallying 1,093 rushing yards on 226 attempts with 3 touchdowns, plus 59 receptions for 263 yards and 4 more scores, just sat there. Denver didn’t even sign him back to their own practice squad right away. It’s a head-scratcher when you look at those numbers.
So, why did the Broncos let him go? It looks like the writing was on the wall once they drafted rookie Jonah Coleman in the fourth round. McLaughlin was already inactive for a few games last season and only saw significant playing time after veteran JK Dobbins went down with an injury. Coach Sean Payton was pretty clear about it, too. He mentioned how close the competition was and how “the edge goes in the kicking game, which is important.” Basically, special teams were the tie-breaker when it came down to keeping Dobbins, second-year back RJ Harvey, rookie Coleman, and special teams guy Tyler Badie on the 53-man roster. They even signed another preseason star, Cody Schrader, to their practice squad.
A New Start in the Buckeye State
Now, McLaughlin is back in Ohio, which, let’s be real, makes a ton of sense since he was a standout at Notre Dame and Youngstown State. He’s joining a Browns backfield that already features second-year back Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, and Raheim Sanders. While it’s a practice squad spot for now, this signing is huge for his future. The indication is clear: if an injury hits the Browns’ running back room, McLaughlin is the next man up.
It’s a tough break to go from being a key offensive player to the waiver wire, but this is the NFL, right? Players get new chances, and Cleveland is giving him exactly that. Keep an eye on the Browns’ injury report, because McLaughlin could be getting his shot on the main roster sooner rather than later. This is definitely one to watch as the regular season gets going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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