Carlson Activated To Browns’ 53-Man Roster For Sunday’s Game At Denver

Jamestown-area fans of the Cleveland Browns who purchased No. 89 jerseys in the preseason, might want to get them ready for Sunday.

Stephen Carlson, the rookie undrafted free-agent tight end, has been activated to the 53-man roster.

“He’s really earned the opportunity,” Carlson’s agent, Shane Costa, told The Post-Journal on Friday afternoon. “He’s worked really hard. The team told me on numerous occasions the past few weeks how great a job he was doing, how he was practicing really hard and staying ready for the opportunity, and here it is.”

The Browns (2-5) will play at Denver on Sunday. The move was made necessary because tight end Pharoah Brown is in concussion protocol and Cleveland head coach Freddie Kitchen indicated in his Thursday press conference at the Browns’ training facility in Berea, Ohio that Carlson could be the next man up.

“He’s in the mix, yes,” Kitchens said. “I don’t really know what we’re going to do yet, though. It’s definitely a possibility, though. I’m not trying to hide that. We’d like to have three (tight ends) going into the game.”

Now Carlson, the former Princeton wideout, Jamestown High School first-team all-state player and 2014 Post-Journal Player of the Year, has his chance.

“For a multitude of reasons, primarily because of what a great kid he is and how hard he’s worked for it, I couldn’t be more thrilled for him,” Costa said. “I think a lot of Jamestown and Western New York fans will be rooting for him on Sunday.”