Cleveland Browns cut LB Marcus Benard, put DT Phil Taylor on PUP list - NFL News
The Cleveland Browns have consolidated strength of their roster to bring down the number of players at 75, within the requirement of the professional league regulator, National Football League (NFL).
As a part of the process, the team has let go some players and placed a number of them on the injured reserve list.
Linebacker Marcus Benard turns out to be a major victim of the shakeup drive, a rather unfortunate development for the player just before the start of the season next month.
Marcus, who last year made headlines for miraculously surviving a motorcycle accident, will have a choice to return to the Browns provided he is not claimed by any other side.
Although the player has not offered any remarks in response to his release by the Browns, the team’s decision to let him go is surprising given he had led them in sacks during past season.
He was also a bright spot at the team’s training camp and almost all commentators agreed that he must be a part of the team’s plans this season. An injury scare in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles last week subdued his chances to an extent.
With Marcus gone, the Browns have placed defensive tackle Phil Taylor on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, confirming his absence for the first six games of the season. Phil had torn chest muscles while working out at the team’s training facility
earlier this year and is still not hundred percent.
As per rules of the league, Phil can only make himself available for return in October and it will be for Browns then to decide if they retain him on the active roster.
The Browns are playing their season opener on September 09, and will need to further cut down the roster strength to 53 players. This should affect present status of at least 22 more players, most of them are those who had been taken on board by the team
for assistance during training camp.
A number of players are available in the market to help teams during training camp on short-term contractual arrangements. Some of them also get lucky breakthrough in their careers and become part of the sides in the longer run.
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