The Browns waived left tackle Desmond Harrison on Wednesday, a day after he was late getting to mandatory minicamp because he missed a flight according to head coach Freddie Kitchens on Tuesday.
Kitchens didn’t have much to say when asked for clarification on the roster move following practice Wednesday.
“We just decided to move on,” Kitchens said.
A source told 92.3 The Fan that this was not the first time Harrison was tardy and a pattern of behavior led to his release.
Harrison, signed last year as an undrafted free agent, started eight games at left tackle last season before being replaced by veteran Greg Robinson.
During training camp last year, the Browns struggled to find a suitable replacement for Joe Thomas, who retired after 11 seasons, and they turned to Harrison a week before the season opener after trying left guard Joel Bitonio at left tackle.
The Browns re-signed Robinson, a former No. 2 overall pick who replaced Harrison midway through the season, to a one-year contract worth $7 million this offseason.
“I have seen him compete,” Kitchens said of Robinson. “He is competing against a pretty good guy on the other side of the ball, which is making both of those guys better. I feel like Greg can play. Greg needs to continue to do what he is doing. He is working hard. He is competing with Myles Garrett every day. They have some good battles going.”
By jettisoning Harrison, the door could open for Drew Forbes, but not immediately.
“We try to see how many guys that we have and see how versatile all of them can be,” Kitchens said. “You may see him there at some point. Right now, we are trying to find Drew a base of the offense and a base of his knowledge and things like that. Once you have it and you can speak it, then you have to go do it. That is what we want to develop with Drew first and foremost.”