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The Browns have parted ways with running back John Kelly and terminated his contract.

The Cleveland Browns have terminated the contract of running back John Kelly Jr. as part of several roster changes following the team’s first preseason game.

Kelly has been with the Browns on and off since 2020, mostly on the practice squad. He only played in five games and only recorded three snaps on offense.

Kelly was busy in the Browns’ first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, August 10. He rushed for 15 yards on 4 carries and 5 catches for 19 yards. However, Kelly also lost a fumble and the Browns’ offense struggled to move the ball consistently.

When asked if Kelly’s fumble influenced the decision to release him, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski explained that the move was more about managing the roster in light of recent injuries.

“The injuries are really bad right now and we’re trying to find places where we can get some healthy bodies and that’s what it’s all about,” Stefanski said on Monday, Aug. 12. “But yeah, potentially he could come back.”

Kelly didn’t have much of a chance of making the roster, although Nick Chubb’s status was uncertain at the start of the season. The running backs include Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr., D’Onta Foreman, Nyheim Hines and Chubb when he returns. Undrafted rookie Aidan Robins is also in the running.

Browns sign more players after Kelly’s dismissal

The Browns also released cornerback Vincent Gray (injury report), defensive end Marcus Haynes and long snapper Rex Sunahara. The moves helped make room for new additions: linebacker Brandon Bouyer-Randle, cornerback Faion Hicks and safety Chase Williams.

Bouyer-Randle went undrafted out of Connecticut in 2023. He was initially signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He spent his rookie season on the practice squads of the Buccaneers and Washington Commanders.

Hicks was selected in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos in 2022. He appeared in two games in his rookie season and spent last year on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad.

Williams is a rookie from San Jose State. He participated in the Browns’ rookie minicamp as a tryout.

The Browns also signed center Nick Harris. Originally selected by Cleveland in the fifth round (160th overall) in 2020, Harris has played in 40 games in his career, including four as a starter. He fills the void in the center lineup after Luke Wypler broke his ankle against the Packers.

“Well, good to see him. Some guys come and play for you, work with you and give you everything they’ve got, and Nick was one of those guys,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Harris. “When he leaves, you wish him well, but you don’t like to lose a guy like Nick, just because of his importance in the locker room. And then Luke’s injury, I know Andrew (Berry) worked pretty quickly on that and brought in a guy that we know well as a coach, his teammates obviously know him well and we’ll get him up to speed on some of the new things.”

Browns overcome injury concerns

The Browns did not emerge unscathed from their first preseason game. Wypler was out, as was wide receiver David Bell. The former third-round pick is expected to be out for some time after a “good throw” against the Packers.

“Won’t be out there today. Took a good shot there. So we’ll probably keep him out a week or two,” Stefanski said Monday. “You don’t like to see injuries, whether they’re long-term, short-term or whatever. But he’ll continue to rehab and we’ll get him here sooner or later.”

The Browns will participate in joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings this week. The core players will get plenty of work in these sessions, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is returning from surgery. Watson will not play in the Browns’ second preseason game against the Vikings, but will be on the field in the finale against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Browns open the regular season on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.

JR DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stints at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national awards for sports reporting and photography. More about JR DeGroote