Two weeks after releasing Cameron Latu from their practice squad, the Cleveland Browns signed the former Alabama tight end for the final week of their season.
The Browns announced Latu’s return to the practice squad on Tuesday, when starting tight end David Njoku missed practice and reserve tight end Blake Whiteheart was a limited participant because of knee injuries.
Njoku missed Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and Jordan Akins started in his place.
Cleveland is preparing for its final game of the season – an AFC North contest against the Baltimore Ravens at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Each NFL team can elevate two members of its practice squad to active status for each game.
Latu has not played in an NFL regular-season game since entering the league in the third round of the 2023 draft. He caught 56 passes for 787 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Alabama after starting his college career as a linebacker.
Latu sustained a meniscus injury in the San Francisco 49ers’ final preseason game in 2023. He spent the entire season on injured reserve and had two knee surgeries.
In the 49ers’ three preseason games in 2024, Latu had eight receptions for 84 yards. But when San Francisco reduced its active roster from the preseason total of 90 players to the regular-season limit of 53, the 49ers waived Latu on Aug. 27.
Two days later, the Browns signed Latu for their practice squad. The tight end spent the first 15 weeks of the season there without being elevated to active status for any of Cleveland’s games.
