Kelly signed a reserve/future contract with the Browns on Monday.
The running back ended the season as a member of the team's practice squad. Kelly did not appear in a game in 2023.
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John Kelly: Brought back by Cleveland
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The Browns signed Kelly to their practice squad Tuesday.
The Tennessee product has spent the majority of the past three seasons with Cleveland, and the team has decided to bring him back after parting ways with him just one week ago. Kelly's most recent in-game action came in 2022, when he appeared in one game for the Browns and played 14 special teams snaps. In a corresponding move, Cleveland cut Kenyan Drake from its practice squad.
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John Kelly: Let go by Cleveland
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The Browns cut Kelly from their practice squad Tuesday.
Kelly has spent most of the past three seasons with Cleveland, but he didn't appear in a game this year after making five appearances over the previous two campaigns. Kelly has 96 career rushing yards on 32 carries.
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John Kelly: Cut by Cleveland
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The Browns cut Kelly on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Cleveland opted to keep Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as backups to Nick Chubb, cutting Kelly and Demetric Felton on Tuesday. If Kelly clears waivers, the Browns would presumably like to bring him back on a practice-squad deal.
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Browns' John Kelly: Commits critical fumble Thursday
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Kelly rushed eight times for 20 yards and brought in one of two targets for three yards in the Browns' 18-18 preseason tie with the Eagles on Thursday night. He also lost a fumble.
Kelly was stymied on the ground as his final line indicates, and his fumble at the Eagles' three-yard line that short-circuited the Browns' opening drive was naturally a critical mistake. The 2018 sixth-round pick of the Rams has now had poor outings in back-to-back preseason contests, and Demetric Felton appears to be clearly ahead of him in the battle for the No. 3 running back role heading into Cleveland's preseason finale against the Chiefs on Saturday, Aug. 26.
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Browns' John Kelly: Rough night against Washington
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Kelly carried the ball six times for six yards and caught his only target for three yards in Friday's preseason loss to the Commanders.
After a good showing in the Hall of Fame Game last week, Kelly crashed back down to Earth in this one. Not only was he thoroughly outproduced on the ground by Demetric Felton, Kelly flopped in his biggest moment -- he got a fourth-down carry from the one-yard line on Cleveland's first drive, but rather than punching the ball into the end zone, he got tackled for a four-yard loss by Montez Sweat. If Cleveland goes with only three backs on its Week 1 roster, Kelly is by no means assured of a spot.
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Browns' John Kelly: Stakes claim for roster
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Kelly had 10 carries for 42 yards and caught four of five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's preseason victory over the Jets.
The top two in Cleveland's running back room did not play in the Hall of Fame Game, leaving Kelly and Demetric Felton to gobble up most of the work in the backfield. Each back figured as a runner and receiver and scored a touchdown. With Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford locked as the top two backs, there should be room for a third back on the active roster, and these two are the leading candidates.
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Browns' John Kelly: Up on active roster
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Kelly was elevated from the Browns' practice squad Saturday.
Kelly could be the sixth running back active for the Browns on Sunday, so it's likely he would simply be used on special teams. The 2018 draftee has yet to play a game with Cleveland this season.
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John Kelly: Added to Browns' practice squad
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Kelly was signed to the Browns' practice squad Wednesday.
Kelly could be first in line to be elevated if injuries affect Cleveland's backfield, as he logged four appearances with the Browns last season and saw extensive work in the preseason. He was waived by the Browns on Tuesday but went unclaimed, paving the way for Cleveland to add Kelly to the practice squad.
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John Kelly: Cut by Cleveland
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The Browns waived Kelly on Tuesday, Anthony Poisal of the team's official site reports.
Kelly appeared in four games with the Browns last season, and he handled a notable workload in the preseason, but he never had a clear path to earning a spot in Cleveland's exceptionally deep running back room. However, the team could make it a priority to stash Kelly on the practice squad if no other team offers him an active roster spot.
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Browns' John Kelly: Leading rusher Sunday
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Kelly had 14 carries for 66 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run, in Sunday's preseason game against the Eagles.
Kelly has received a lot of work through the first two preseason games, as the Browns opted to hold out Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Most of the ground game has been handled by Kelly and rookie fifth-rounder Jerome Ford, with Kelly toting the ball a team-high 24 times. Kelly's 86 yards are second to Ford's 88. There are too many backs in the room right now, so Kelly is not expected to be on the final roster. Ideally, the Browns will be able to stash the 25-year-old back on the practice squad for emergency use.
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John Kelly: Signs futures deal
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The Browns signed Kelly to a reserve/future contract Wednesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Kelly made four appearances for the Browns this season and played almost exclusively on special teams. However, he did see three offensive snaps in Week 7 and totaled two rushes for 13 yards during the game. With Kareem Hunt, Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton all under contract for 2022, it's likely Kelly will garner a similar workload for Cleveland next year.
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Browns' John Kelly: Game-day elevation for Week 15
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Kelly was elevated from Cleveland's practice squad as a COVID-19 replacement ahead of Monday's game against the Raiders.
Kelly will provide backfield depth for the Browns, but he's unlikely to get into the game on offense unless Nick Chubb and D'Ernest Johnson both get hurt. Even then, the Browns could opt to use return man Demetric Felton at running back over Kelly.
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John Kelly: Waived by Browns
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The Browns have waived Kelly, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Kelly was just activated off Cleveland's reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday. With Nick Chubb, D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton all healthy, Kelly was the odd-man out in the backfield.
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Browns' John Kelly: Clears COVID-19 protocols
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Kelly (illness) was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Kelly has cleared the league's COVID-19 protocols, but fellow running backs Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton both remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list. With Kareem Hunt (calf) expected to remain on IR, Kelly would slide into the backup role behind D'Ernest Johnson for Sunday's highly favorable matchup against the Lions if neither Chubb nor Felton are activated by then.
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Browns' John Kelly: Sitting out Sunday
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Kelly (illness) won't be available Sunday at New England, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Coach Kevin Stefanski noted all of Nick Chubb (illness), Demetric Felton (illness) and Kelly will be unavailable Week 10 due to COVID-19 protocols. With Kareem Hunt (calf) still on IR, the Browns backfield will be headed by D'Ernest Johnson, with practice-squad members Brian Hill and Dexter Williams likely to be elevated for Sunday's contest.
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Browns' John Kelly: Tests positive for COVID-19
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Kelly did test positive for COVID before being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Kelly joins Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton as Browns running backs who have tested positive for COVID, leaving D'Ernest Johnson as the only healthy running back on the current roster. Kelly's absence wouldn't normally be much of an issue, as he's only played three offensive snaps all season, but with the void the Browns now have in the backfield every body counts.
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Browns' John Kelly: Lands on COVID-19 list
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Kelly was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.
Kelly has appeared in three games for the Browns this season, but he has only recorded two touches for 13 yards. His absence shouldn't affect Cleveland's backfield rotation.
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Browns' John Kelly: Makes season debut
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Kelly had two carries for 13 yards in Thursday's 17-14 win over the Broncos.
Kelly was added to the active roster off the Browns' practice squad, as both Nick Chubb (calf) and Kareem Hunt (calf) were sidelined. The 25-year-old was on the field for three snaps and served as the third back behind D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton. Chubb, who has missed two games but isn't on injured reserve, could return to action Week 8 against the Steelers. If he does, Kelly is unlikely to remain on the active roster for that contest.
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Browns' John Kelly: Signs to active roster
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The Browns signed Kelly to the active roster from the practice squad Tuesday, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Kelly will provide some emergency depth in Cleveland's banged up running back room, with a Thursday night matchup against Denver just around the corner. In corresponding transactions, Kareem Hunt (calf) and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (ankle) have been placed on IR.
