Browns activate Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

Rookie linebacker will return to the field on Sunday. In other moves, Cleveland waives defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

The Cleveland Browns activated linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on Saturday.

Owusu-Koramoah is expected to see playing time on Sunday against the New England Patriots after missing the previous three games with a high ankle sprain that landed him on the injured reserve list.

Prior to his injury, JOK had played in all six games, posting 27 tackles, a forced fumble and half of a sack.

The return of Owusu-Koramoah is the headline, but the Browns also made several other moves, most notably releasing defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

While not a marquee free agency signing, Billings drew some attention when the Browns signed him prior to the 2020 season. Billings opted out of last season due to COVID-19 concerns, however, and was not able to do much this season as he appeared in just six games, totaling only 72 snaps on defense.

Cleveland also activated cornerback M.J. Stewart, who has played in five games this season as a core member of the special teams unit. Stewart was placed on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury after the Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Finally, thanks to COVID-19 taking out running backs Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton and John Kelly, along with center Nick Harris, the Browns elevated running back Brian Hill, cornerback Herb Miller, wide receiver JoJo Natson and fullback Johnny Stanton IV from the practice squad.

The Browns signed Hill to the practice squad this week. A fifth-round selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 NFL Draft, Hill played three seasons with the Falcons, rushing for 945 yards with three touchdowns and averaging 4.8 yards per carry while playing in 38 games.

Natson has spent the season on Cleveland’s practice squad. He signed with the Browns last season as a free agent, but was lost for the year in Week 3 with a torn ACL. He has played in 35 career games between the Browns and the Los Angeles Rams, mostly as a return who has averaged 7.7 yards per punt return and 20.9 yards per kickoff return.

Miller (three games on special teams) and Stanton (three games) have both been on the gameday roster earlier this season.

Players elevated from the practice squad return to the team’s practice squad the day after the game.