BOISE, Idaho — Former Boise State defensive end Curtis Weaver will now call Cleveland home after his time in South Beach was short-lived.
Following a season-ending injury over the weekend, Miami waived their 2020 fifth-round draft pick with an injury designation. The Dolphins were hopeful that Weaver would clear waivers so they could place him on injured reserved (IR), according to a source.
That did not happen though, as both the Browns and the Los Angeles Rams attempted to claim the 2019 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Considering Cleveland owned the worst record of the two last fall, they were awarded the claim.
Clearly the Browns covet Weaver. By acquiring him at this moment in time, they've committed to paying a player that won't be available to contribute on the field this season.
It also means that they are willing to use a training camp roster spot to hold onto Weaver before rosters are cut down to the 53-player regular season limit. Cleveland can then place him on IR without having to pass him through waivers.
Weaver was a model of consistency at Boise State.
It took him just three years to become the all-time Mountain West leader with 34 career sacks. Also, he was the lone FBS player in the country to record at least 9.5 sacks in each of the last three seasons.
Weaver also proved to be durable.
He didn't miss a single game over the last three years, joining the former college teammates LB Bruno DeRose, N Kekaula Kaniho, LB Benton Wickersham and CB Avery Williams as the only Bronco defensive players to appear in all 41 games during that stretch.
Weaver recently suffered an injury to a sesamoid bone in his foot. A source described it as a season-long injury to his big toe.
Next year Weaver will get the chance to line up opposite of All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Garrett ranked sixth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks in 2018, and had 10 sacks in 10 games last year.
Weaver initially signed a four-year, $3,602,996 contract with the Dolphins in May. It included a $308,000 signing bonus. He will get the same deal from Cleveland, according to his agent Ron Slavin.
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