Browns promote defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon from practice squad

The Cleveland Browns promoted defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon to the active roster on Tuesday.

McKinnon, who has yet to appear in a regular season game, will fill the roster spot of cornerback Terrance Mitchell, who was placed on injured reserve following surgery to repair a broken wrist suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Oakland Raiders.

The Browns announced the transactions on the team’s website.

McKinnon entered the league in 2016 when he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. He spent time on the Tennessee Titans practice squad that season, before seeing time on the practice squad of the New York Giants in 2017.

He was waived this past summer by the Giants and the Browns picked up McKinnon after the start of training camp. Once with the team, however, McKinnon made sure he was noticed, at one point getting into a scuffle with wide receiver Rashard Higgins.

Ironically, McKinnon and Mitchell worked out together as the two defensive backs were friendly from their time together at training camp with the Cowboys in 2016, McKinnon told clevelandbrowns.com:

“We would come work out, look over film. I meet with the coaches early in the morning. Like, I’m saying wake up around 4:30 or 5 in the morning getting in extra film work, and just try to stay on top of my game because I came in late.”

As for Mitchell, his loss is a big blow for the defense as he was playing very well opposite rookie cornerback Denzel Ward.

He may still return this season as teams are allowed to select two players to return from injured reserve. The Browns don’t have to make that call until Mitchell is able to return to practice, but he will have to miss a minimum of eight games, according to league rules.

That means the earliest that Mitchell could return to the field would be the December 9 game against the Carolina Panthers.