The Cleveland Browns have set their roster for the 2026 campaign, and they are preparing for their upcoming Week 1 contest with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Per usual, there was some drama when it came to the Browns’ roster construction throughout the offseason, but one of the situations arose from an unexpected player.
Midway through August, Cleveland scooped up undrafted tight end Dae’Quan Wright after he was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles. After just two weeks, though, Wright was released again, revealing his intent to return to college football and play for the LSU Tigers. This decision was the subject of much controversy, and unfortunately for Wright, his quest to suit up for LSU has taken a hit.
Dae’Quan Wright Not Added to LSU’s Roster Ahead of Season-Opener
Wright spent four years playing at the collegiate level, spending two seasons each with the Virginia Tech Hokies and Ole Miss Rebels. After a strong 2025 campaign with Ole Miss (39 REC, 635 YDS, 5 TD), Wright declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, but he did not hear his name get called. Still, Wright managed to get scooped up by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent.
After failing to find a fit with both Philadelphia and Cleveland, though, Wright announced his intention to return to college and play for LSU on his fifth year of eligibility. What Wright was attempting to do had never been seen before in the world of sports, as a player has never signed with an NFL team and tried to return to college.
For the time being, Wright has been granted eligibility to play for LSU, but the uproar surrounding the decision has been hard to miss. With the Tigers set to open their season on Saturday, all eyes were on Wright to see if he would actually take the field for his new team. However, LSU opted not to add him to its roster, meaning he won’t be playing in its season opener at the very least.
Sources: LSU has not added Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to the team’s roster for the Clemson game,” Pete Thamel of ESPN reported in a post on X. “They could potentially be added later in the year, as both are enrolled in school. LSU has 103 players on the roster submitted, and that leaves them two spots.”
Dae’Quan Wright’s Quest to Return to LSU Hits a Roadblock
While Wright is technically allowed to play for LSU currently, the team is facing quite a bit of heat for its decision to try to add him to its team. It could still happen at some point this season, but at least for their opener against the Clemson Tigers, Wright will not be on the field for LSU.
For the time being, Wright appears to be stuck in limbo, as he can’t play in the NFL this year, and now he isn’t playing for LSU. There’s a decent shot that Wright wouldn’t have stuck around with the Browns to begin the season even if he didn’t try to force his way back into the world of college football, but his quest to bolster his stock for the 2027 campaign is currently on hold.
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