Browns slim roster, waive nine

08.27.2007

The Browns began slimming down their roster Monday, waiving nine players and placing two others on the team's non-football injury list

Six players -- kicker Jesse Ainsworth, cornerback Therrian Fontenot, defensive lineman Orien Harris, receivers Mike Mason and Kendrick Mosley, and tight end Buck Ortega -- were waived. Three players -- receiver Efrem Hill, fullback J.R. Niklos, and safety Justin Sandy -- were waived-injured.

Head Coach Romeo Crennel said waiving players is always a difficult part of his job.

"That's not an easy thing to do because these young men, they put a lot into it," Crennel said. "They all have all their hopes, dreams, and aspirations to try to make a team and you have to call the guy in and sit him down and tell him he's not going to make it.

Punter Kyle Basler and defensive lineman Alvin Smith were the pair placed on the non-football injury-NFL Europa list.

The changes put the Browns' roster at 76 players, one short of the 75-player cap they must be at by Tuesday at 4 p.m., as mandated by the league. Crennel said the club would make an additional move sometime before then.

The Browns have until Saturday to trim their roster to the 53 they will take into the regular season.