Browns sign DT Justin Zimmer

The Cleveland Browns signed defensive tackle Justin Zimmer on Tuesday.

Zimmer fills the roster spot created by the release of veteran defensive end Chris Smith earlier in the day.

An undrafted free agent from Ferris State, the 6-foot-3 and 300-pound Zimmer originally signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2016. He did not make the Bills roster that year, and went to training camp with the New Orleans Saints in 2017. The Saints released him prior to the start of the season, so he played part of the year with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Zimmer made it back to the NFL in 2018 with the Atlanta Falcons. He appeared in one game with the Falcons, getting on the field for nine defensive plays against the New Orleans Saints in a September game, before being released when the team signed defensive tackle Michael Bennett.

The Falcons re-signed Zimmer to their practice squad, where he remained for the remainder of the 2018 season and the first 13 weeks of this season.

Zimmer is the latest addition to an ever-changing defensive line in Cleveland, joining defensive end Porter Gustin and defensive tackle Brandin Bryant, who were recently promoted from Cleveland’s practice squad; and defensive end Bryan Cox, who was released a few weeks ago by the Carolina Panthers; and defensive tackle Eli Ankou, who was signed in October from the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad.