Carlson Gets Start At TE In Debut

Stephen Carlson didn’t just earn a spot on the Cleveland Brown’s 53-man roster over the weekend, he made his first NFL start on Sunday against Denver.

Just two days after learning he’d been promoted from the team’s practice squad, the tight end from Jamestown jogged out on the field with the starting unit in the first quarter.

Carlson, wearing No. 89, was added to the active roster with fellow tight end Pharoah Brown sidelined with a concussion. The 2015 Jamestown High School graduate split time with Demetrius Harris and Ricky Seals-Jones early, but he received even more opportunities when Seals-Jones suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. Used primarily as a blocker, Carlson was targeted once, but the pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield was incomplete.

Carlson’s appearance in the game confirmed comments his agent made on Friday when the team decided to add him to the active roster.

“He’s really earned the opportunity,” Shane Costa told The Post-Journal.

Costa added: ”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 lost the game, 24-19, to drop their record to 2-6 (see story on Page B2). They will entertain the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.