The Browns boosted their roster to the maximum of 90 players a week before the start of training camp by signing veteran defensive lineman Nick Hayden on Friday.
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Hayden appeared in 76 games with Carolina (2008-10), Cincinnati (2011) and Dallas (2013-15), compiling 183 career tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. The Panthers selected Hayden, 30, in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin.
Hayden started all but one game for the Cowboys the past three seasons. Last season, he started 15 out of 16 games and tallied 48 tackles and a fumble recovery. But ProFootballFocus.com ranked him 115th out of 123 interior defensive linemen last year.
The Browns needed to add depth on the defensive line because starting end Desmond Bryant suffered a torn pectoral muscle earlier this month and will likely miss the entire 2016 season.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.