Cleveland, OH

Browns announce signings of 9 undrafted free agents – led by 2 Ohio State players – as rookie minicamp begins

Published

1 year ago

May 13, 2023

Press Room

Browns announce signings of 9 undrafted free agents – led by 2 Ohio State players – as rookie minicamp begins

BEREA, Ohio — The Browns begin rookie minicamp on Friday afternoon, and will have some new additions.

Just ahead of its start, Cleveland announced it has signed nine undrafted free agents.

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The list consists of two offensive and seven defensive players: CB Caleb Biggers, LB Mohamoud Diabate, TE Thomas Greaney, RB Hassan Hall, S Ronnie Hickman, DE Jeremiah Martin, S Tanner McCalister, DE Lonnie Phelps and LB Charlie Thomas III.

Of the group, maybe the most notable of the signings for Browns fans are two Ohio State players they are familiar with in Hickman and McCalister.

Hickman started all 13 games in each of the last two seasons for the Buckeyes. He recorded 158 tackles, one sack, three picks, seven passes defensed and a pair of forced fumbles in his four-year career, and earned second-team All-America honors by the Associated Press in 2022 after a 53-tackle season that included an interception and seven PBUs. He led the team in tackles in 2021 with 100, including 54 solo stops, and in interceptions with two. He became the first Buckeye in six years with 100 or more tackles in a season, the first to do it since Raekwon McMillan recorded 102 in 2015.

McCalister spent last season at Ohio State, transferring from Oklahoma State. He played in 12 games for the Buckeyes in 2022 and totaled 24 tackles and a team-best three interceptions plus one pass break-up.

Rookie minicamp runs Friday through Sunday. Teams must hold their rookie minicamp in one of the first two weekends following the draft, according to the CBA.

Here are the bios for all of the free agents, as provided in a release by the Browns’ media relations department:

Caleb Biggers – Started 41 of 51 games between Bowling Green (2018-20) and Boise State (2021-20), garnering 172 tackles, one sack, one interception, 13 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery…Named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention (2022) and Phil Steele Preseason All-Mountain West Second Team (2022)…Started all 14 games as a fifth-year senior and recorded 38 tackles, including five for-loss and one sack, four pass breakups, one interception, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble…Native of Baltimore, Md. and attended Calvert Hall High School.

Mohamoud Diabate – Name pronounced MAH-mood dee-AH-bah-TAY…Appeared in 49 career games between Florida (2019-21) and Utah (2022), posting 234 tackles, 11 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups and four forced fumbles…Accepted an invitation to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl after starting 12 games at linebacker for the Utes in 2022…His 13.5 tackles for loss were a team best and his 58 total tackles ranked second in the linebacker room…Played in 37 games with 17 starts at Florida, recording 176 total tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles, two pass breakups and an interception…Majored in Sociology…Native of Auburn, Ala. and was an all-state selection at Auburn High School.

Thomas Greaney – Finished his career at Albany playing in 41 games and tallied 73 receptions for 983 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns…His best season was during his senior year when finished the year with 50 receptions for 693 yards and nine scores…Made All-CAA First Team selection in 2022…Native of Bedford, Mass. And attended Lawrence Academy, where he played two years of football and basketball…Majored in business at Albany.

Hassan Hall – Spent time with Louisville (2018-21) before transferring to Georgia Tech for his final year of eligibility…Appeared in 12 games and made six starts on the season as Georgia Tech’s leading rusher in 2022. Hall finished the year with 521 rushing yards and one touchdown on 116 carries…Played 42 games at Louisville and amassed 3,843 all-purpose yards (1,299 rushing, 175 receiving, 2,369 kickoff return) and 13 touchdowns (11 rushing, two kickoff return) in his four seasons with the Cardinals…Native of Atlanta, Ga. and attended Maynard Jackson High School…Graduated from Louisville in December 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. Pursued graduate studies in history, technology and society at Georgia Tech.

Ronnie Hickman – Spent four years with the Ohio State program (2019-22) and played in 31 games, starting at safety for the final 26 games of his career (all 13 games in both 2021 and 2022)…Recorded 158 tackles, one sack, three picks, seven passes defensed and a pair of forced fumbles…Earned second-team All-America honors by the Associated Press in 2022 after a 53-tackle season that included an interception and seven PBUs…Was one of the top defensive players on the team in 2021 and was named second-team all-Big Ten by the coaches and third-team by the media…Led the team in tackles in 2021 with 100, including 54 solo stops, and in interceptions with two…Became the first Buckeye in six years with 100 or more tackles in a season (Raekwon McMillan, 102 in 2015)…Graduated in December 2022 with his degree in human development and family sciences…Native of South Orange, N.J. and attended DePaul Catholic High School.

Jeremiah Martin – Played in 56 games between Texas A&M (2018-20) and Washington (2021-22) with 64 tackles, 9.5 sacks, one pass breakup and two forced fumbles…Earned 2022 All-Pac-12 First Team, 2022 All-Pac-12 First Team (Associated Press) and 2022 All-Pac-12 Second Team (Phil Steele)…Voted a team captain in 2022…Started all 13 games in his final collegiate season at Washington and finished fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks with 8.5…Native of San Bernardino, Calif. and attended Cajon High School…Didn’t play football before his sophomore year of high school.

Tanner McCalister – Played his final collegiate year at Ohio State (2022) after transferring from Oklahoma State (2018-21)…A two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree…Posted 108 tackles, four picks and eight pass breakups in his career…Played in and started in 12 games for the Buckeyes in 2022 after playing in 41 games and starting 23 times as an Oklahoma State Cowboy…Totaled 24 tackles and a team-best three interceptions plus one pass break-up in 2022…Graduated from Oklahoma State in December of 2021 with his degree in finance…Native of Rockwall, Texas and attended Rockwall-Heath High School.

Lonnie Phelps – Appeared in 42 games with 14 starts over four-year collegiate career and tallied 114 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 23 sacks, three forced fumbles and one pass breakup…His team-high seven sacks in 2022 were tied for the second most in the Big 12. Had a three performance that marked the most by a Jayhawk in a single game since 2016…Spent first three years of college at Miami (Oh.) from 2019-21 before transferring to Kansas for his final season in 2022…Earned All-Big 12 Second Team in 2022, Second Team All-MAC in 2021, and Third Team All-MAC in 2020…Hails from Cincinnati, Ohio and prepped at Mount Healthy High School.

Charlie Thomas III – Appeared in 54 games (31 starts) at Georgia Tech (2018-22), tallying 313 tackles, 10 sacks, four interceptions, five passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries…Earned 2022 Second-Team All-ACC (Associated Press), 2022 Third-Team All-ACC and 2021 Honorable Mention All-ACC…Appeared in all 12 games, making 10 starts at linebacker in 2022…Racked up 112 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, which he returned for a total of 114 yards…Was one of only two NCAA Division I FBS players since 2000 with at least 112 tackles, 10.5 TFL, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in a regular season (TCU’s Paul Dawson in 2014)…Graduated from Georgia Tech in December 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration…Pursuing graduate studies in history, technology and society…Plans to go to graduate school to pursue an MBA…Native of Thomasville, Ga. And attended Thomasville High School.

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Cleveland, OH

City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan

Published

2 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

City launches ‘Cleveland Moves’ initiative, seeks public input on 5-year transportation plan

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The city of Cleveland is seeking public input and engagement on its ambitious five-year transportation initiative that aims to enhance the safety, comfort and convenience of walking, biking and using public transit across the city.

In a news release Friday, the city said it hopes to harness the feedback and build upon the multimodal transportation plan, dubbed “Cleveland Moves,” which includes five key components:

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Cleveland, OH

Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2

Published

10 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Orioles vs. Guardians Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, August 2

Two powerhouse contenders are squaring off this weekend in Cleveland, part of a massive four-game series that is going to help answer some questions about what we may see come October. The Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians are well in contention for a championship and it takes center stage all weekend long.

The Orioles continue a titanic battle in the American League East with the Yankees at 65-45, while the Guardians continue to shine with a current league-best 66-42 record. Both teams have surprisingly impressed this season, especially the young but mighty Guardians. Here’s how to play this Friday matchup.

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Run Line:

Moneyline:

Total:

Colton Cowser: Part of the rich youth pool of talent, the Orioles may have found a true gem with Colton Cowser. The 24-year-old left fielder has extended his active hitting streak to 14 games, recording one in each game since the all-star break. His average has increased from .219 to .247 in that span, along with 4 home runs and 13 RBI. His hitting streak is tied for the 2nd most active one in all of the MLB, behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (14) and Ezequial Tovar (17). Cowser is making 2024 a memorable inaugural full season.

Jose Ramirez: There may not be anyone hitting the ball better right now across all of the MLB like Guardians slugger Jose Ramirez. He opened this series on Thursday with a 2-run blast, marking his 3rd consecutive game with a home run. Ramirez has a ridiculous ledger of 3 home runs and 8 RBI in his previous three games. His 28 home runs and 90 RBI this season place him in the top 10 across all players. He continues to provide the power on this feisty, young team. Ramirez is the offensive spark the Guardians must turn to in their run to the postseason.

This is an exciting change of pace to the normal juggernauts that we have seen through the years in baseball. While we don’t quite know if these two will be near the top of the standings in October, all that matters is that both are positioning themselves for it. A pair of unlikely division leaders are battling for a little summer glory in Cleveland.

Dean Kremer takes the hill for the Orioles on Friday. A lot of uncertainty surrounds this start as he’s amassed mixed results for much of 2024. Currently at 4-7 with a 4.20 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 14 home runs allowed, it hasn’t been pretty but at least is passable. Kremer anchors the No. 4 spot in this rotation and has yet to find much consistency. Last time out on Saturday against San Diego, he tossed 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, a walk and 7 strikeouts. The Orioles have not provided him the best run support lately, with the team being 2-5 in his last seven outings.

Carlos Carrasco holds the fort down for the Guardians in this one. It’s been a lackluster season with a 3-9 record, a 5.68 ERA and 79 strikeouts. The month of July was very unkind to him, allowing 19 earned runs and 6 home runs across a total of five starts. Carrasco additionally has allowed 6 runs in each of his prior two outings. He is currently 20th in all of the MLB in home runs allowed (17), but a lower walk rate with just 27 free passes allowed. The 37-year-old is clearly beginning to hit a decline, and likely will finish his career here where he has so many great memories.

Both teams certainly check a lot of marks offensively and Thursday’s 10-3 Guardians win backed that up. We have another pitching matchup that is not pretty, so it’s absolutely fair to expect a lot of offensive fireworks. The Orioles are superior on paper, ranking 1st in home runs per game, 4th in hits and 3rd in runs.

That’s the way I lean with this prediction. I get the feeling both teams will feed off each other’s energy all weekend long, especially with a lot on the line in this series. I’ll happily back the total to go over 9 runs in Friday’s contest at -115 (FanDuel), especially with a pair of starters that have been less than ideal for most of the year.

Pick: Orioles-Guardians OVER 9 Runs (-115)

Note: Game odds are subject to change.

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Cleveland, OH

Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?

Published

16 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Northeast Ohio road construction: What new delays can driver’s expect?

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There will be plenty of overnight lane closures over the next several weeks for various construction projects in Northeast Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has released an updated list of lane closures and delays for Cuyahoga County and other regions.

I-90 westbound just east of Columbia Road will be in a bi-directional traffic pattern beginning Tuesday and continuing through September for bridge deck replacement. All lanes of traffic are maintained. However, one lane of westbound traffic will be maintained on the I-90 eastbound side separated by a concrete barrier wall. Two lanes of traffic are maintained on the existing westbound side using a lane shift.

U.S. 422 westbound ramp to I-271 northbound will be closed from 9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. The detour is I-480 westbound to Miles Road to I-271 north.

Harvard Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 north will be closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Chagrin Road entrance ramp to I-271 south will be closed at 8 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday.

Westway Drive over I-90 will be closed from Aug. 12 through mid-September for bridge repairs. The detour will utilize Wager Road

I-271 southbound ramp to U.S. 422 eastbound will be closed 8 p.m. Aug. 9 through 6 a.m. Aug. 12 for bridge repairs.

The following closures will be in place each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Tuesday until Thursday for pavement work.

I-71 northbound to I-480 westbound. The detour is I-480 east to Tiedeman Road to I-480 west.

I-480 westbound to Ohio 237. The detour is Ohio 17 east to Ohio 237.

The following ramps will be closed for resurfacing from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11. All ramps will not be closed at the same time.

Ohio 176 north ramp to I-90 east. The detour is I-490 east to I-77 north.

I-90 east ramp to I-71 north. The detour is I-90 east to I-77 north.

I-90 east/I-490 west ramp to I-71 south. The detour is Ohio 176 south to Denison Avenue to Ohio 176 north to West 14th Street to I-71 south.

Ohio 700 just south of Tavern Road has been reduced to one lane maintained by a temporary traffic signal beginning through early September for culvert replacement.

Ohio 91 (SOM Center Road) between U.S. 20 and Ohio 2 has various lane restrictions through mid-September for bridge repairs.

U.S. 6 between Rockefeller Road and Bishop Road will be reduced to westbound traffic only beginning Aug. 10 through early September for resurfacing. The detour for eastbound traffic is Bishop Road to Eddy Road to Rockefeller Road.

Ohio 615 between Andrews Road and Center Street has various nightly lane restrictions between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. through October.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-76/Kenmore Leg and I-77 will have various lane restrictions beginning Aug. 12.

I-277/U.S. 224 westbound between I-77 and I-76/Kenmore Leg will be closed from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28 for resurfacing. The detour will be I-77 northbound to I-76 westbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg.

Brush Road over Ohio I-77 will be closed beginning Aug. 14 through late August for bridge repairs. The detour is Brecksville Road to Boston Mills Road to Black Road.

Ohio 303 under I-77 will be closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night beginning Aug. 19 through Aug. 26 for bridge-beam placement. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

Ohio 303 eastbound under I-77 will be closed from Aug. 21 through late November for bridge construction. The detour is Brecksville Road to Wheatley Road to I-271.

The ramp from Glenwood Avenue to Ohio 8 southbound will be closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily beginning Aug. 19 through late August. The detour is Glenwood Avenue to Howard Street to Tallmadge Avenue.

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