Browns claim WR Marvin Hall off waivers from Lions
On Tuesday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns bolstered the team’s wide receiver ranks by adding veteran Marvin Hall off waivers from the Detroit Lions.
The Browns will receive a roster exemption for Hall that will expire once he’s permitted to join the team in accordance with testing protocols. He won’t count against the active roster limit until that time.
Hall, 27, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2016, joining the Oakland Raiders, where he was waived before the start of the season. The former Washington Huskie is very well known for being a field stretcher, with a reported blazing fast 4.28 40 yard dash at his pro day.
He was able to flash that speed with the Falcons in 2017, catching this 40-yard touchdown from Matt Ryan in his debut for the team.
Marvin Hall can FLYYYYYYYYYYY @BigPlayHall_A2N pic.twitter.com/ln1GpwvMCI
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) October 23, 2018
He didn’t see much action until 2020 when with the Detroit Lions, where he was able to have a breakout performance of 4 catches for 113 yards against the Indianapolis Colts.
As for his impact on the Browns, it could be one that translates quickly. Since losing wide receiver Odell Beckham in Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback Baker Mayfield has completed seven passes for 25 yards or more in the five games after the injury.
Hall provides a true speed threat down the field for Mayfield, who has shown a willingness to throw to anyone across the field, with names like KhaDarel Hodge and Breshad Perriman finding success under the young signal-caller.
Similar to Perriman, who also was known for his speed coming out of college, Hall has had some issues catching the ball in 2020, dropping four passes, but it is worth noting that in his combined 25 games in 2018 and 2019, he did not record a drop on 30 targets.
Adding a player like Hall is just what the doctor ordered for head coach Kevin Stefanski, who can add Hall to his arsenal on offense, as well as open things up for the running game by taking the attention of safeties with his vertical threat.
While it is early, this looks like another solid bet by general manager Andrew Berry to bolster the roster as the team continues to move towards a playoff push.
