CLEVELAND — Every offseason, it seems each NFL team makes a surprising cut.
But perhaps the most surprising thing about the Cleveland Browns' surprise cut this summer was that it was even a surprise in the first place.
On Monday evening, Jaelen Strong took to Twitter to thank Cleveland for his time in the city. On Tuesday morning, the Browns confirmed they have waived the 26-year-old wide receiver, who they signed in February.
Although Strong wasn't necessarily a core member of Cleveland's roster like fellow wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins and Antonio Callaway, he had parlayed his offseason contract with the team into a strong showing in Training Camp and the preseason. Through three preseason games, the former third-round pick had caught seven passes for 52 yards, including an impressive grab on a 4-yard touchdown pass vs. the Indianapolis Colts last week.
With Callaway suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, Strong's spot on the Browns roster -- at least through the first month of the season -- seemed safe.
Emphasis on seemed.
While cutting Strong seemed curious in and of itself, the timing of the transaction is also worth noting. With its season opener vs. the Tennessee Titans still more than a week away, Cleveland has until Sunday to finalize its roster.
In other words, it's likely the Browns made this move with another one in mind.
As for what that move might be, it's too early to say. For now, Cleveland has another roster spot to fill and which position it opts to do that with could be telling.
But if the player the Browns sign to replace Strong plays a position other than wide receiver, it could mean that Braxton Miller's chances of making Cleveland's roster have dramatically increased.
When the Browns signed Miller a week ago, the timing of the move was every bit as curious as their decision to cut Strong -- if not more. At the time Cleveland added the former Ohio State star, it already possessed 11 players at a position it would likely only be keeping six players at.
While Beckham, Landry, Higgins and Callaway are each obvious locks to make the Browns' final 53-man roster, the battle for the final two spots now appears to be between Damion Ratley, Derrick Willies and Miller. With Callaway's upcoming suspension, all three players could make the Browns' initial roster, essentially delaying general manager John Dorsey's wide receiver dilemma.
Had Strong stuck around, Miller could have very well been the odd man out given his newness to Cleveland's offense and the limited time he had to make an impression. But through his first week with the team, it's been clear the Browns have been impressed with the 2-time Big Ten MVP, who spent the first two years of his NFL career with the Houston Texans before joining the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad for the 2018 season.
“He moved around well," Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens said of Miller after his first practice with the team last week, "He can stick his feet in the ground and change directions. He caught the ball well. It looks like he has some juice. He has not hit that adversity yet with the pads on, but he looked good out there.”
While it initially appeared Miller would be facing an uphill battle to make Cleveland's roster, his versatility, ability on special teams and now Strong's departure may have changed that.
That is, of course, unless the Browns have another unexpected move up their sleeves.