Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Kendrick Green wasn’t going to play against his former team Thursday night for the Cleveland Browns. But now, he also won’t be with the Browns organization for the game either.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Cleveland parted ways with Green on Tuesday. The Browns released the center from the reserve/injured list. Green had been on IR since the first week of August before the preseason started.
The details of Green’s injury were not disclosed.
The Browns signed Green off the Buffalo Bills practice squad last year on Christmas eve. He was inactive for the Steelers-Browns matchup on December 28, but Green dressed for Cleveland’s season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 4. He played one snap on special teams.
Green began his career as a third-round pick for Pittsburgh. The Steelers selected Green at No. 87 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In addition to the Steelers, Browns and Bills, Green has also played for the Houston Texans.
Ex-Steelers’ Kendrick Green Becomes Free Agent After Browns Release
Although the NFL transaction wire didn’t state Green and the Browns reached an injury settlement, there’s a chance that is what occurred for Cleveland to part ways with the injured lineman. Green will become a free agent and available to sign with any team.
Green is probably best remembered in Pittsburgh as another example of the Steelers taking a highly touted draft pick along the offensive line and switching his position. The 27-year-old played guard at Illinois in college, but the Steelers moved him to center as a rookie in 2021.
Green started 15 games at center during Ben Roethlisberger’s final season. But he significantly struggled and didn’t start again for Pittsburgh after his rookie campaign.
While the Steelers moved Green back to guard in 2022, he didn’t earn a job there either. The Steelers made the lineman a healthy scratch for all 17 games during his second season.
At the NFL roster deadline in August 2023, the team traded Green to the Texans for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
Green started three of his first four games with the Texans in 2023. But the team placed him on injured reserve because of a torn meniscus after Week 4. The following season, Green was a depth offensive linemen, starting just one contest while dressing for all 17 regular season games.
In 2024, Green signed with the Bills. He joined the team’s practice squad after he didn’t make the active roster in August 2024.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound interior lineman played college football from 2017-20 at Illinois. He made first-team All-Big Ten as a senior in 2020.
To replace Green, the Steelers first tried free agent center Mason Cole. The veteran started 34 games at center for Pittsburgh from 2022-23.
But the Steelers released Cole in March 2024 and then selected Zach Frazier in the second round. Frazier has been Pittsburgh’s starting center since his rookie campaign.
Browns Officially Terminate Contract With Former Steelers 3rd-Round Pick