Browns to re-sign G Michael Dunn, DT Maurice Hurst

Cleveland Browns played a game of chess over the last 24 hours to bring a couple of players back that they originally cut. The Browns are bringing back OL Michael Dunn and DT Maurice Hurst, two players who were very questionable cuts when it happened. In the end, the Browns just needed to move two […]

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer

Aug 30, 2023 12:46 PM EDT

Cleveland Browns played a game of chess over the last 24 hours to bring a couple of players back that they originally cut.

The Browns are bringing back OL Michael Dunn and DT Maurice Hurst, two players who were very questionable cuts when it happened. In the end, the Browns just needed to move two vested veterans off the roster that wouldn’t hit waivers, so that they could get two players to the short-term injured reserve.

The belief is that Michael Dunn and Maurice Hurst both end up back with #Browns. Two players they were able to release, that wouldn’t hit waivers, and would allow them to get players to IR.
— Brandon Little (@BrandonLittleBL) August 29, 2023

Linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk suffered a torn MCL against the Kansas City Chiefs in the final preseason game and is expected to be sidelined for a bit. Cleveland is going to send him to the IR, where he’ll have to stay for at least four games.

In the first preseason game of the season, second-year defensive end Alex Wright obtained a knee injury that is going to sideline him into the season. Wright and Kunaszyk were two prime targets to hit IR so that the Browns could bring back Dunn and Hurst.

Mary Kay Cabot reported that Dunn will be on the practice squad for now but that seems temporary.

Hurst is seen as the team’s current top lineman outside of the starting five and has started four games over the last two seasons with the Browns.

After having an injury-riddled career since being drafted out of Michigan in 2018, Hurst looks healthy with the Browns and he showed that this preseason. The former fifth-round pick will bring depth to the interior of the defensive line.

While they were puzzling moves at first, the Browns have now explained why they made them. In the end, two players that belong on the Browns’ 53-man are set to be back.