The Browns hope that a player tossed away by the Detroit Lions will help to give the team more insurance in case of an injury to starting right tackle Ryan Tucker.
The Browns were undoubtedly discouraged by the play of both of their primary back-ups at right and left tackle, Kirk Chambers and Nat Dorsey, during the pre-season. Both players struggled when matched against first-team competition.
On Sunday, the Browns took a shot at addressing the situation, acquiring OT Kelly Butler off waivers from the Detroit Lions. Butler started every game for the Lions at right tackle in 2005, but fell on the depth chart after the Lions signed free agent RT Rex Tucker. Butler also worked at RG for the Lions during the pre-season, according to the Roar Report.
Chambers was in his third season out of Stanford, and was older than a typical third-year veteran due to time spent in missionary work for the Mormon church.
In addition to Butler, the Browns exchanged third-string NT J'Vonne Parker for DE Jovan Haye, a sixth round pick out of Vanderbilt for the Panthers in 2005.
The Browns were also able to re-secure the services of seven players cut yesterday. Signed to the practice squad are RB Chris Barclay, DB Therrian Fontenot, DL-turned-OG Andrew Hoffman, WR Kendrick Mosley, NT Babatunde Oshinowo, DB Jereme Perry, and C Rob Smith. The team also signed Buck Ortega, a TE from Miami (Fl), who was cut yesterday by the Washington Redskins.