Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.
Out of obscurity: The New Browns Order wants to build its team through the draft. But that’s not the only method of player acquisition on which it will be judged.
The day after NFL rosters were cut on Sept. 3, the personnel department swung into action and claimed five players off the waiver wire. Three of them made big plays in the 30-24 overtime loss in Miami on Sunday.
The familiar names among the rookie draft picks have been Corey Coleman, Carl Nassib, Emmanuel Ogbah and Cody Kessler.
But some obscure names came up big on Sunday. They were Tyrone Holmes, Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Cory Lemonier.
In the second quarter, Holmes, a defensive end, hit Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s right arm while he threw the ball for Kenny Stills. The ball floated right to Boddy-Calhoun and he snagged it and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 Browns lead.
That play led everyone paging through team biographies to bone up on Holmes and Boddy-Calhoun.
Lemonier later made the biggest play of the game, if for naught.
With the Dolphins trying to burn the final 26 seconds of regulation, Lemonier, a rush linebacker, beat his blocker at the line of scrimmage, stripped the ball from Tannehill and recovered the fumble at the Dolphins’ 27-yard line.
It would have been a heroic double-play, but kicker Cody Parkey missed the game-winning field goal attempt two plays later.
Still, it was a triumphant afternoon for the personnel department to get such impact from a trio of waiver pickups.
Here is a closer look at each of these first-time wonders.
Tyrone Holmes
A three-year starter at Montana, Holmes was not invited to the NFL Combine despite scoring 18 sacks his senior season.
“Yeah, that felt like a slight,” Holmes said.
Coaches at Montana loved Holmes’ work ethic and practice habits. He was the FCS defensive player of the year and at least one draft report projected him as a potential NFL starter in the right defensive system.
The 6-2 ½, 258-pound linebacker impressed the Jacksonville Jaguars at his pro day workout.
They drafted him in the sixth round. Holmes was released on the last cut, along with Boddy-Calhoun, who competed in the Jacksonville training camp as an undrafted free agent.
“It’s been cool to go through with Briean,” Holmes said. “You battle with these guys and you form a bond. To be able to come here with him, that relationship, is cool. I was so happy for him when he made the interception.”
Briean Boddy-Calhoun
Joe Haden never had a pick 6 at any level until his fourth NFL season. Boddy-Calhoun scored in his first NFL game – something no Browns defensive player had ever done in history.
“Oh my God, he took my spot,” exclaimed Haden, whose groin injury opened the door for Boddy-Calhoun’s first NFL game appearance. “I’m super happy for him. He’s been studying tape. I could tell just him doing drills he’s a good player.”
Particularly impressive to teammates and coaches was the fact that Boddy-Calhoun was beaten by DeVante Parker for a 26-yard touchdown early in the game, and he didn’t let it get him down.
“When I got to the sideline, I wasn’t down per se, but I was like, ‘Ugh, you’re a rookie and the first play you get scored on,’” he said. “And when I got to the sideline, my teammates – Joe, Tramon [Williams], Tracey [Howard] – everybody did a good job making sure I was still up. They’re like, ‘It was good D, you had good coverage, just be ready to play the rest of the game and play good.’”
Boddy-Calhoun – who legally combined the surnames of his mother and father a few years ago – was promoted to the Sunday active list for the first time because of a solid week of practice.
“He is talented. He has quickness, suddenness. He has a nose for the ball. He is not afraid to tackle and mix it up. He has good coverage skills,” coach Hue Jackson said. “You have to go find guys to make your team better, and I think he is a good find for us. We are glad he is here.”
Lemonier was a third-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2013. He started two games at linebacker last season but mostly was a special teams contributor for three years. A coaching change to Chip Kelly and coordinator Jim O’Neil resulted in his release at the final cut.
He received some defensive looks in Game 2 against Baltimore and more reps in Miami after Nate Orchard was lost with an ankle injury.
“It’s really interesting,” Jackson said. “I talked to him earlier in the week, just about his time in San Francisco and I think the guy is talented and I told him, you’ve got to make some plays. It’s time for you to step up and make a play and here’s your opportunity here, and he made a play.”
All these players have opened eyes now and should get more opportunities.
“To watch those guys show up in games and make plays, that is truly what pro football is about,” Jackson said. “You have to make the play when the opportunity presents itself. Those guys were able to do that last week. Now, they need to do it on a consistent basis. You don’t want to be a one-time wonder. You want to do it more than once so that is what the challenge is for them.”