Browns sign Davis

Former Rams QB Davis signs with Cleveland

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/former-rams-qb-davis-signs-with-cleveland/article_be91818a-dcb6-5260-9983-e56e7fa825e1.html

Two of the three “biggest” names cut by the Rams on Saturday now have jobs elsewhere in the NFL.

Quarterback Austin Davis was signed to the Cleveland Brown’s 53-man roster on Monday. Meanwhile, center Barrett Jones was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad.

Davis could get more of a chance to start for the Browns than he got to make the Rams’ roster. His competition there is Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel. With all due respect, we’re not talking about Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr there.

And Manziel’s status for the Browns’ season opener at the New York Jets is in question because of tendinitis in his throwing elbow. Davis undoubtedly made a good impression on the Browns last preaseason, when he completed 14 of 22 passes for 198 and two touchdowns against them. His passer rating was 104.0 in what was the third game of the 2014 exhibition season, and the game in which Sam Bradford suffered a season-ending knee injury for the Rams.

Davis started eight games for the Rams last season, winning three, and throwing for 300-plus yards in back-to-back games against Dallas and Philadelphia. But he lost out to Case Keenum and rookie Sean Mannion for a backup job with the Rams.

Davis threw only five passes in exhibition play, and played only four series during the preseason _ one in each game. In the finale against Kansas City, he was in for eight plays _ all handoffs to Rams running backs.

Meanwhile, Jones not only lost out on a three-way battle for the starting center position in St. Louis with Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney, he lost out on a job. In Pittsburgh, center Reese Dismukes was originally signed to the Steelers’ practice squad. But Dismukes, an all-American at Auburn, was released from the practice squad when Jones _ an all-American at rival Alabama _ became available.

Among those “big three” of Rams cuts, linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar is still looking for a job. Teams may be waiting until after Week 1 to take a look at Dunbar. As a vested veteran, any contract he signs now is guaranteed. But after the opening week of games, it’s not guaranteed.

In fact, it’s possible the Rams could consider re-signing him after their opener against Seattle.

Elsewhere, former Rams safety Craig Dahl _ who started 40 games in St. Louis from 2009-2012 _ is reunited again with former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Dahl, most recently with San Francisco, has signed with the New York Giants, where “Spags” is defensive coordinator. Besides the stint with Spagnuolo in St. Louis, this marks the second time Dahl has played for Spagnuolo with the Giants.

Also, former Missouri tight end Chase Coffman, who looked like Kellen Winslow a couple of weeks ago against the Rams, has been re-signed to Tennessee’s 53-man roster. The spot became available after running back Davis Cobb was placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list.