The Cleveland Browns made a pair of practice squad adjustments on Wednesday, signing defensive tackle Eric Johnson while releasing defensive end Nadame Tucker, via Browns insider Scott Petrak.
The move ends Tucker’s brief tenure in Cleveland after he arrived as an undrafted free agent earlier this fall, closing one chapter in a winding journey that only recently produced the kind of production that drew NFL attention.
Tucker’s path to the professional ranks was anything but conventional.
After limited snaps across three seasons at Houston, he transferred to Western Michigan for the 2025 campaign and immediately transformed into one of the most productive edge rushers in college football.
He earned MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, first-team All-MAC recognition, and third-team All-American status while tying for the FBS lead with 14.5 sacks.
Those numbers matched the output of Texas Tech’s David Bailey, the second overall pick in the 2026 draft, and were accompanied by 21 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.
In a single season of starting duty, Tucker delivered the kind of disruption that had been largely absent earlier in his college career.
The late breakout came after stops at Independence Community College and Hutchinson Community College, followed by a quiet stretch with the Cougars.
At Western Michigan, he thrived in a scheme that allowed him to attack off the edge, finishing with 55 tackles across 13 games and helping the Broncos reach the MAC championship.
Scouts noted his explosive first step and relentless motor, though questions about consistency and overall athletic profile kept him from hearing his name called in the draft.
Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent and flashed enough in training camp and preseason to stick briefly on the practice squad after final roster cuts.
Released a few days later, he landed in Cleveland on September 8, joining the Browns’ practice squad and wearing number 60.
The opportunity offered a chance to develop within an NFL defensive line room, yet Wednesday’s transaction indicates the organization has opted for a different mix of depth along the interior.
At 26 years old, Tucker remains a developmental prospect whose one-year explosion at the Group of Five level demonstrated real pass-rush upside.
His release from the Browns’ practice squad leaves him free to pursue another opportunity elsewhere, continuing a professional career that has already required him to prove his value at every stop.
For a player who waited until his final college season to dominate, the next evaluation will once again hinge on production rather than pedigree.
