The Cleveland Browns are casting a wide net in an effort to improve their offensive line.
With few proven options available at this point in the offseason, the Browns are remaining open-minded about potential fixes. Staying opportunistic is key, and on Sunday they followed that adage by claiming offensive tackle Kilian Zierer off waivers.
The 6-foot-7, 312-pound German was waived by the Atlanta Falcons a day earlier.
Zierer, 25, spent last season on the Houston Texans’ practice squad by way of the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) Program, which strives to increase opportunities for foreign-born players.
Kilian Zierer Was Part of the International Player Pathway Program
Zierer began his college career at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., before transferring to Auburn in 2020. At the time, he was the top-five rated JUCO prospect, according to Rivals. As a senior, he started every game at left tackle for the Tigers.
Zierer signed with Houston as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but landed on injured reserve after hurting his ankle late in training camp. He was on the Texans’ practice squad in 2024.
The Falcons signed Zierer on Feb. 12 but parted ways with him on Saturday, less than a week before the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions.
Zierer is a product of the NFL’s IPP Program, which was established in 2017 to provide athletes from around the globe an opportunity to earn a roster spot to boost the league’s global appeal. Participants are invited to train for 10 weeks at IMG Academy in Florida before NFL scouts.
Players can be signed as free agents or, if eligible, selected in the NFL Draft. Each NFL team is granted one exemption for such players, bolstering their chances of being rostered.
Kilian Zierer Didn’t Start Playing Football Until Age 16
Zierer is relatively new to football. According to his Auburn bio, Zierer didn’t start playing the sport until age 16.
“It wasn’t anything serious,” Zierer told the school’s website of his football upbringing. “It was really just for fun at that time. It was something different and a lot of the terms used in football were still the English terms, which helped me later on.”
Zierer grew up idolizing several NFL players, including a pair of former New England Patriots: Tom Brady and Sebastian Vollmer, a fellow German offensive tackle.
Despite being relatively inexperienced, Zierer had impressive enough physical tools, including a wingspan of 83 5/8, to land an opportunity in college.
