Getty Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The Cleveland Browns sent a strong message to one of their young defenders with a couple of player elevations announced on Saturday.
The Browns took to Twitter one day before the team’s home opener against the New York Jets to share the news that two members of its practice squad, linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk and defensive tackle Roderick Perry, had been activated for Sunday’s game.
“We have elevated 2 players from out practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game,” the Browns tweeted.
Kunaszyk is a three-year veteran of the NFL who has spent the vast majority of his career as a special teams player, first as a rookie with the Carolina Panthers and the last two seasons as a member of the Washington Commanders. He appeared in the Browns’ Week 1 win over the Panthers, playing 69% of the game’s special teams snaps (22 snaps total), per Pro Football Reference.
Perry caught on in Cleveland this year as an undrafted rookie out of the University of Illinois.
Browns May Hold DT Perrion Winfrey Out For Disciplinary Reasons
GettyPerrion Winfrey #97 and Tommy Togiai #93 of the Cleveland Browns celebrate a fumble recovery during the first half of a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at FirstEnergy Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The Browns’ decision to elevate Perry indicates that the team may have decided to hold rookie defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey out of Sunday’s game.
Cleveland suspended Winfrey from Thursday’s practice after his struggles with punctuality continued. Brad Stainbrook of The Orange and Brown Report broke the news of Winfrey’s punishment.
“I’m told DT Perrion Winfrey was sent home today for being late again,” Stainbrook wrote. “I’m told he’s been fined, plus I’m also told the team is seriously considering sitting the rookie out Sunday and elevating a DT from the [practice squad].”
Perry is now the fifth active defensive tackle on Cleveland’s depth chart, per ESPN. As of Saturday evening, there had been no official announcement from the team as to Winfrey’s playing status against the Jets.
Browns’ Myles Garrett Sounds Off on Winfrey’s Poor Behavior
Getty ImagesDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns called out teammate Perrion Winfrey this week for the rookie’s repeated lack of professionalism.
As for Winfrey’s teammates, they appear on board with the Browns’ decisions to punish the defensive tackle, at least to this point. That is particularly true for All Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who sounded off on the situation while speaking with reporters on Friday.
“I think we all have to step up and say something, but sometimes silence speaks louder than words,” Garrett said. “We’ve used our voice a couple of times, and at the end of the day, he’s got to learn how to be a pro. Kevin [Stefanski] took it into his own hands, and he felt like that was the right thing to do, and I’m behind my coach’s actions totally.”
“It was pretty common knowledge,” Garrett continued. “And it was easy to see. It wasn’t like we had to bring it to his attention. It was just, his actions were very apparent.”