The Cleveland Browns roster shuffle ahead of final cuts has produced one of the more unusual situations in recent NFL history. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns are waiving tight end Dae’Quan Wright, and if he clears waivers, he already has an agreement in place to return to college and play for LSU during the 2026 season. Wright, an undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss, would become the first known player to appear on an NFL roster before going back to play college football, a scenario that highlights just how much the modern landscape around player eligibility and roster movement has shifted.
Schefter detailed the unprecedented nature of the situation on social media.
“History: the Browns are waiving tight end Dae’Quan Wright and, if he clears waivers, he has an agreement in place for the 2026 season to play for LSU, per agents Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln. Wright is believed to be the first player who could play for an NFL team, and then go back to play in college,” Schefter wrote.
History: the Browns are waiving tight end Dae’Quan Wright and, if he clears waivers, he has an agreement in place for the 2026 season to play for LSU, per agents Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln.
Wright is believed to be the first player who could play for an NFL team, and then… pic.twitter.com/3MLKNFYInY
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2026
Wright spent his college career split between Virginia Tech and Ole Miss, finishing with 113 receptions for 1603 yards and 9 touchdowns across 4 seasons. His best year came in 2025 with the Rebels, when he posted 39 catches for 635 yards and 5 touchdowns, production that was strong enough to draw interest from the Browns as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Standing 6 foot 4 and weighing 246 pounds, Wright possesses the kind of frame that made him an intriguing developmental piece at tight end, a position the Browns have already identified as a concern heading into the regular season. His path to Cleveland briefly gave him a shot at proving himself against NFL competition before this unusual arrangement with LSU emerged.
The situation itself stems from the unique eligibility rules that have developed around college athletics in recent years, allowing Wright a pathway back to the college game that would have been unthinkable in past eras.
This move adds another layer to what has already been an eventful stretch of roster moves for Andrew Berry and the front office as the deadline for final cuts approaches. While Wright’s departure will not move the needle much for a Browns team focused on bigger storylines like the quarterback competition, his situation will likely be referenced for years as a landmark moment in how player movement between professional and college football can unfold.
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