For the moment, Luke Floriea is a Browns training camp star looking for work.
The Mentor High graduate was one of 16 players waived by the Browns Aug. 30 despite leading the team in receiving yards (95) and touchdowns (three) in the preseason. That was not unexpected.
Floriea was not claimed on waivers by another team. Had that happened, the team claiming him would have had to make him part of its 53-man roster. So that wasn't unexpected, either.
The Browns announced they signed 10 players to the practice squad on Aug. 31. Floriea was not on the list. That did come as a surprise. So far, no other team announced signing him to its practice squad.
Todd Monken did not directly give the bad news to each of the 16 players waived by the #Browns Sunday, but he did talk with Luke Floriea because he has so much respect for what Floriea did in training camp and preseason. He talked about that conversation today. @MentorRedline pic.twitter.com/7LWE902Fug
— Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) August 31, 2026
The only wide receiver among the 10 practice squad players signed by the Browns was Kole Wilson. Wilson caught two preseason passes for 36 yards. He led the Browns with six kick returns for 165 yards. Wilson also returned three punts for 21 yards.
Floriea returned punts in practice, but not in any of the three preseason games. General Manager Andrew Berry apparently concluded Wilson's skill as a kick/punt returner made the 5-foot-9 rookie from Baylor more valuable than Floriea as a practice squad asset.
Coach Todd Monken said he did not meet with every player that was waived, but he made sure to carve out time for Floriea.
"I did and it was awesome. Well, as good as it can be," Monken said. "On the one hand, I was happy that he was a part of our team for the short time that we had him. All he did was work every single day, and then to have the opportunity to have a couple of touchdown catches in the stadium that he was fired up about.
"So that wasn't an easy conversation, but it was awesome, just his outlook. He loves football, wants to coach. He gave everything he had in the time he was here with us."
Reflecting on what Monken said about an hour before the Browns announced their practice squad makes it seem like they have no intention of signing Floriea to one of the six openings that still exist on the practice squad. But that could change.
• The Browns claimed cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. from the Buffalo Bills and waived defensive end Julian Okwara to create a roster spot for him.
Ten players were signed to the practice squad. All 10 were in training camp with the Browns this summer: CB Myles Bryant ; DE Logan Fano; T KT Leveston ; P Wes Pahl; CB D'Angelo Ross; DT Tyreak Sapp; DE Khordae Sydnor; S Zion Washington; LB Nathaniel Watson and Kole Wilson.
