Practice squad moves rarely make headlines on their own, but the Cleveland Browns found a way to make one worth watching. Roster churn is a constant this time of year, and most of it goes unnoticed outside the building. This addition carries a bit more context than usual, though, since it reconnects the Browns’ quarterback room with a familiar face from college.
The Browns are signing Shedeur Sanders’ former teammate at Colorado, wide receiver Jimmy Horn.
“#Browns are signing former Colorado receiver Jimmy Horn, one of Shedeur Sanders’ go-to guys, to the practice squad,” Mary Kay Cabot wrote.
#Browns are signing former Colorado receiver Jimmy Horn, one of Shedeur Sanders’ go-to guys, to the practice squad.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 17, 2026
Horn spent time at South Florida before transferring to Colorado, where he built chemistry with Sanders as one of his regular targets. That connection matters here, even on a practice squad move that will not generate much national attention. Familiarity between a quarterback and a receiver does not always translate to the NFL level, but it gives Cleveland’s staff another evaluation tool.
The Carolina Panthers selected Horn in the 6th round, 208th overall, in the 2025 NFL Draft. His rookie season produced 11 catches for 108 yards across 13 games, modest production that reflected a limited role. This year did not go much better, as Carolina waived him Tuesday.
Cleveland moved quickly to add him once he hit the market. At 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, Horn is not going to overpower opposing corners, but that was never his game at Colorado either. He built his reputation on route running and reliability underneath.
The Browns’ receiver room has already gone through plenty of change in 2026. Denzel Boston arrived as a 2nd-round pick, KC Concepcion has carved out an early role, and Jerry Jeudy remains a veteran presence in the mix. Adding a body who already has rapport with Sanders gives the coaching staff another look at how that chemistry could translate if Sanders ever gets an extended run under center.
There is no guarantee Horn sticks around beyond the practice squad, and moves like this typically go under the radar. But for a Browns team still evaluating its quarterback situation week to week, adding a receiver who already knows how Sanders operates is a small, low-risk way to keep gathering information.
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