The Cleveland Browns are waiving tight end Dae'Quan Wright, and he has an agreement in place to play for LSU for the 2026 season if he clears waivers, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday. It is a historic twist. A player leaving an NFL roster for a college team, with a deal already signed in principle, is the kind of move that used to live only in hypotheticals.
Wright's path now depends on the waiver wire. Over the next day, any NFL team can claim him and his current contract. If a team does, the LSU agreement vanishes. If no one claims him, he's free to sign with the Tigers and return to college football, making him one of the rare players to go from the pros back to a major program.
The Browns' decision to waive him signals they saw no roster value in keeping him, or they are honoring a request. Either way, Cleveland moves on.
LSU gets a tight end with NFL training under his belt. How that translates to the Tigers' 2026 offense depends on how quickly he adjusts to campus life and the college game again.
The real story is precedent. This is a case study in how the lines between professional and college football are blurring. Agents like Rosenhaus and Lincoln are finding new avenues for clients who want out of a franchise situation, and LSU is willing to listen.
The waiver claim is the only roadblock. If Wright clears, history happens. If he doesn't, it becomes the briefest of what-ifs.
My take: this is a player betting on his own future, and the Browns let him do it. The smart money says no team claims a tight end who has already checked out mentally, so expect to see Wright in purple and gold next season. And expect more agents to test this route.