After Mack Brown rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown in the Washington Redskins’ preseason finale, coach Jay Gruden said such a strong performance would make the decision-making difficult as the team made cuts on Saturday to narrow the roster to 53 players.
The question was whether the Redskins would keep four running backs, along with Matt Jones, Chris Thompson and undrafted rookie Robert Kelley, but they did not. Brown was waived on Saturday. The hope is he clears waivers and signs to the practice squad, according to a person familiar with the situation. Brown, who is in his second season, spent portions of last year on the Redskins’ practice squad.
One of the more notable releases was that of tight end Logan Paulsen, who was entering his seventh year with the team. He missed the 2015 season with a turf toe injury and was not able to reclaim a roster spot. The addition of veteran Vernon Davis ultimately spelled the end for Paulsen. Davis, 32, had shown strong run-blocking in the preseason, which put Paulsen on the bubble. The Redskins limited themselves to three tight ends. Davis joins Jordan Reed and Niles Paul, who returned from a broken foot that kept him out last season.
The Redskins also released defensive end Cullen Jenkins, offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus and nose tackle Jerrell Powe.
Jenkins was signed last Monday after trying out with the Redskins, but the 35-year-old did not show enough in the final preseason game to warrant a roster spot. Washington also waived fifth-round draft pick Matt Ioannidis, who was tasked with transitioning to nose tackle in the preseason after playing defensive end at Temple. Undrafted rookie defensive end Anthony Lanier earned his way onto the roster ahead of Jenkins and Ioannidis. For now, the Redskins will go with just six defensive linemen: Defensive ends Chris Baker, Kendall Reyes, Ricky Jean Francois, Lanier and nose tackle Kedric Golston.
Second-year center Austin Reiter also earned a spot after spending last season on the practice squad. Left guard Spencer Long has learned the center position to backup Kory Lichtensteiger, but Reiter gives them another true center. Long also sprained his right ankle in the third preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.
Washington waived the other following players: cornerback Lloyd Carrington, wide receivers Maurice Harris, Kendal Thompson and T.J. Thorpe, offensive tackles Isaiah Williams and Takoby Cofield, outside linebackers Lynden Trail and Mike Wakefield, offensive guards Nila Kasitati and Vinston Painter, defensive end Corey Crawford, linebacker Carlos Fields, tight end Marcel Jenson and safety Geno Matias-Smith.
Cornerback Mariel Cooper was waived with an injury settlement.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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