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Top John Kelly News
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John Kelly: Brought back by Cleveland
The Browns signed Kelly to their practice squad Tuesday.
The Tennessee product has spent the majority of the past three seasons with Cleveland, and the team has decided to bring him back after parting ways with him just one week ago. Kelly's most recent in-game action came in 2022, when he appeared in one game for the Browns and played 14 special teams snaps. In a corresponding move, Cleveland cut Kenyan Drake from its practice squad.
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John Kelly: Let go by Cleveland
The Browns cut Kelly from their practice squad Tuesday.
Kelly has spent most of the past three seasons with Cleveland, but he didn't appear in a game this year after making five appearances over the previous two campaigns. Kelly has 96 career rushing yards on 32 carries.
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John Kelly: Joins Browns' practice squad
Cleveland signed Kelly to its practice squad Friday.
Kelly spent time with the Browns during the preseason, and he now reunites with the team as an emergency depth option. The third-year pro has logged five appearances with Cleveland over the last two seasons.
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John Kelly: Cut by Cleveland
The Browns cut Kelly on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Cleveland opted to keep Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as backups to Nick Chubb, cutting Kelly and Demetric Felton on Tuesday. If Kelly clears waivers, the Browns would presumably like to bring him back on a practice-squad deal.
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Browns' John Kelly: Sees goal line work
Kelly carried the ball six times for 20 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 33-32 preseason loss to the Chiefs. He added three receptions for 33 yards.
The Browns ran a pass-heavy gameplan in an effort to get Deshaun Watson reps, but Kelly was ultimately the third back to take the field. His first three carries came inside the red zone, where he spelled Demetric Felton. It's possible that Kelly will see the field early on in the regular season if Jerome Ford (hamstring) isn't ready to return, though Felton's skillset is a better complement to Nick Chubb, which could give him the upper hand over Kelly.
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Browns' John Kelly: Commits critical fumble Thursday
Kelly rushed eight times for 20 yards and brought in one of two targets for three yards in the Browns' 18-18 preseason tie with the Eagles on Thursday night. He also lost a fumble.
Kelly was stymied on the ground as his final line indicates, and his fumble at the Eagles' three-yard line that short-circuited the Browns' opening drive was naturally a critical mistake. The 2018 sixth-round pick of the Rams has now had poor outings in back-to-back preseason contests, and Demetric Felton appears to be clearly ahead of him in the battle for the No. 3 running back role heading into Cleveland's preseason finale against the Chiefs on Saturday, Aug. 26.
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Browns' John Kelly: Rough night against Washington
Kelly carried the ball six times for six yards and caught his only target for three yards in Friday's preseason loss to the Commanders.
After a good showing in the Hall of Fame Game last week, Kelly crashed back down to Earth in this one. Not only was he thoroughly outproduced on the ground by Demetric Felton, Kelly flopped in his biggest moment -- he got a fourth-down carry from the one-yard line on Cleveland's first drive, but rather than punching the ball into the end zone, he got tackled for a four-yard loss by Montez Sweat. If Cleveland goes with only three backs on its Week 1 roster, Kelly is by no means assured of a spot.
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Browns' John Kelly: Stakes claim for roster
Kelly had 10 carries for 42 yards and caught four of five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's preseason victory over the Jets.
The top two in Cleveland's running back room did not play in the Hall of Fame Game, leaving Kelly and Demetric Felton to gobble up most of the work in the backfield. Each back figured as a runner and receiver and scored a touchdown. With Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford locked as the top two backs, there should be room for a third back on the active roster, and these two are the leading candidates.
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Browns' John Kelly: Clings with Cleveland
Kelly signed a reserve/future contract with the Browns on Monday.
Kelly spent the entirety of the 2022 campaign on Cleveland's practice squad before being elevated prior to the Week 17 win against Washington. The running back wound up exclusively playing on special teams during this contest, and he's now totaled five carries over the past four seasons. Kelly will look to carve out a larger role with the Browns this offseason.
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John Kelly: Returns to practice squad
Kelly reverted to the Browns' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Kelly was bumped up from the practice squad for the first time ahead of Sunday's win over the Commanders. The 26-year-old running back wound up logging all 14 of his snaps on special teams, and he has recorded five rushing attempts since the 2019 season. Kelly should stand to see similar usage if he's promoted to the active roster ahead of this coming Sunday's regular-season finale against Pittsburgh.
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Browns' John Kelly: Up on active roster
Kelly was elevated from the Browns' practice squad Saturday.
Kelly could be the sixth running back active for the Browns on Sunday, so it's likely he would simply be used on special teams. The 2018 draftee has yet to play a game with Cleveland this season.
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John Kelly: Added to Browns' practice squad
Kelly was signed to the Browns' practice squad Wednesday.
Kelly could be first in line to be elevated if injuries affect Cleveland's backfield, as he logged four appearances with the Browns last season and saw extensive work in the preseason. He was waived by the Browns on Tuesday but went unclaimed, paving the way for Cleveland to add Kelly to the practice squad.
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John Kelly: Cut by Cleveland
The Browns waived Kelly on Tuesday, Anthony Poisal of the team's official site reports.
Kelly appeared in four games with the Browns last season, and he handled a notable workload in the preseason, but he never had a clear path to earning a spot in Cleveland's exceptionally deep running back room. However, the team could make it a priority to stash Kelly on the practice squad if no other team offers him an active roster spot.
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Browns' John Kelly: Leading rusher Sunday
Kelly had 14 carries for 66 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run, in Sunday's preseason game against the Eagles.
Kelly has received a lot of work through the first two preseason games, as the Browns opted to hold out Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Most of the ground game has been handled by Kelly and rookie fifth-rounder Jerome Ford, with Kelly toting the ball a team-high 24 times. Kelly's 86 yards are second to Ford's 88. There are too many backs in the room right now, so Kelly is not expected to be on the final roster. Ideally, the Browns will be able to stash the 25-year-old back on the practice squad for emergency use.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 5-10, 208 lbs |
| Birthplace: Detroit, MI |
| Age: 27 |
| School: Tennessee |
| Experience: 2 |