Getty The Browns signed defensive tackle Eli Ankou.
With an open roster spot after the trade of backup offensive lineman Austin Corbett, the Cleveland Browns added some depth on the defensive line, signing former Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Eli Ankou on Tuesday.
Ankou is 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds and is in his third NFL season out of UCLA. Originally signed by Houston as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Ankou has appeared in 11 career games with the Jaguars. He has recorded 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He had spent all of this season so far on Jacksonville’s practice squad.
#Browns moves: Signed DT Eli Ankou to active roster from Jacksonville’s practice squad. Signed LB Montrel Meander to practice squad, released RB Elijah McGuire from practice squad.
Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi are the starters in the middle for the Browns, while Daniel Ekuale and Devaroe Lawrence occupy the backup spots on the Browns’ depth chart.
In another move, the team signed LB Montrel Meander to the practice squad and released RB Elijah McGuire. With the return of Kareem Hunt imminent now, the Browns likely felt carrying another practice squad running back was not necessary.
Meander spent 12 weeks on the Browns practice squad last season and was with the team during part of the preseason this year. He was previously a safety before making the move to linebacker.
Myles Garrett Leading the Way for Browns Defense
GettyBrowns defensive end Myles Garrett.
The Browns are set to take on the Patriots on Sunday as the look to trend upward out of the bye week after a 2-4 start.
While the team is off to a disappointing start, star defensive end Myles Garrett has impressed, leading the NFL with nine sacks.
New England head coach Bill Belichick is one of Garrett’s biggest fans, as evident by his comments to reporters on Tuesday.
“I’m thinking about I wish we didn’t have to play against him. He’s pretty much impossible to block. They put him in a lot of different places so you don’t always know where he’s going to be,” Belichick said. “But wherever he is you better find him and block him or he’ll ruin the game. Got great power and explosion, good get-off, very athletic and he’s blocked but then he doesn’t stay blocked, he comes free quickly and escapes and gets off blocks. Plays with a lot of power, he’s certainly not a finesse player. He’s very explosive, powerful guy that is also athletic enough to do very rare things.
“He can close ground in a hurry and get off blocks with his strength, quickness and explosiveness and instincts. He’s a smart player. Finds the ball, finds it quickly. He impacts the games defensively, better be able to handle him on any play or he can ruin a game for you.”
Browns Open as Double-Digit Underdogs to Patriots
GettyThe Patriots are 7-0 for the first time since 2015.
The Browns opened as huge underdogs for their matchup against New England in Foxborough, with the line setting the Patriots as 10.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark. That is expected to go up, with the public firmly in the Pats corner.
The Patriots have been double-digit favorites in five games this season, covering the number in all but one. The Browns are 2-4 against the spread and are 2-1 on the road.
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