The Bengals signed Brightwell to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.
Brightwell began the 2024 regular season on the Browns' active roster, playing in Week 3 and 4 and posting 36 kick-return yards while contributing exclusively on special teams. He was cut from Cleveland's active roster Oct. 1, and after two separate stints on the Browns' practice squad, he opted to sign with the Bengals' practice squad Nov. 11. He didn't end up playing for Cincinnati during the regular season, but he will be part of the Bengals' 90-man roster once the league year starts March 12.
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Gary Brightwell: Joins Bengals' practice squad
Rotowire
Cincinnati signed Brightwell to its practice squad Monday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.
Less than two weeks after being cut from the Browns' practice squad, Brightwell has now found another opportunity with their division rival. The Bengals currently have four running backs on their active roster, so it would probably take at least one injury for him to see any game action during the second half of the season.
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Gary Brightwell: Cut from practice squad again
Rotowire
The Browns cut Brightwell from the practice squad Tuesday.
Brightwell has bounced on and off Cleveland's practice squad with regularity this season. He's also suited up for two games with the team, contributing exclusively on special-teams in both contests. Brightwell may realistically be a candidate to resurface on the practice squad again in the future.
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Gary Brightwell: Signed to practice squad
Rotowire
The Browns signed Brightwell to the practice squad Thursday.
Brightwell cut Brightwell from the active roster Wednesday, but he's quickly resurfaced with the organization. The special-teams ace could be a candidate for elevation Sunday against the Commanders.
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Gary Brightwell: Time up in Cleveland
Rotowire
The Browns cut Brightwell from the 53-man roster Tuesday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Brightwell spent the last two games contributing exclusively on special teams for Cleveland. He returned two kickoffs for 36 yards during the team's 20-16 loss to the Raiders on Sunday. Now, Brightwell will hope to either resurface on the Browns' practice squad or secure a depth role elsewhere in the league.
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Browns' Gary Brightwell: Signed to active roster
Rotowire
The Browns signed Brightwell from their practice squad to the active roster Saturday, Kelsey Russo of the Browns' official site reports.
With Nick Chubb (knee) and Nyheim Hines (knee) starting the regular season on injured reserve and Pierre Strong (hamstring) ruled out for Sunday's game against the Giants, the Browns have signed Brightwell to the active roster. Brightwell could get some looks on kickoff returns Sunday while serving as the No. 3 running back behind Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman. Brightwell appeared in seven regular-season games for the Giants in 2023, during which he turned nine carries into 19 yards and added five catches (on seven targets) for 47 yards.
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Gary Brightwell: Comes up short
Rotowire
Brightwell was waived by the Jaguars on Tuesday.
Brightwell had his time with the Giants end due to a hamstring injury in June but eventually found his way to Jacksonville in early August. However, the Arizona product was unable to force his way up the team's positional depth charts and secure a spot on their final 53-man roster.
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Jaguars' Gary Brightwell: Headed to Duval
Rotowire
The Jaguars signed Brightwell to a contract Saturday.
Brightwell appeared in seven regular-season games with the Giants in 2023, registering 66 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches while playing 39 snaps on offense and 99 on special teams. He sustained a hamstring injury in Week 7 against the Commanders and ended the season on IR. He reached an injury settlement with the Giants in June, and he'll now compete for a depth running back spot on the Jaguars behind Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby.
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Gary Brightwell: Hosted for tryout by New England
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) visited the Patriots for a tryout Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Brightwell reached an injury settlement with the Giants back in June, and he now looks fully recovered from his hamstring injury. The 2021 sixth-round pick could be a fit for New England, given his ability to shore up backfield depth while also contributing on special teams.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Reverts to IR
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) has reverted to the Giants' injured reserve, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Brightwell's 2023 campaign ended on the IR, and this season has now begun the same way. The nature of his hamstring injury is unknown at this time, so it is still possible that both he and the Giants will come to terms on an injury settlement down the road. The running back has tallied 164 yards and one touchdown on the ground across 37 games in his career to go along with 92 yards on 11 receptions for 92 yards.
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Gary Brightwell: Waived by Giants
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) was waived by the Giants with an injury designation Thursday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell ended the 2023 season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, but it's unclear if that's the issue he's currently dealing with. He has rushed 41 times for 164 yards and a touchdown and has caught 11 passes for 92 yards through 37 games with the Giants. If the running back clears waivers, he'll revert to IR, where he'd be slated to remain unless he reaches an injury settlement.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Ends season on IR
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) played in seven games during the regular season, rushing nine times for 19 yards and adding five catches on seven targets for 47 yards.
Most of Brightwell's work came on special teams, though he did get four carries in both Week 3 and Week 4 while Saquon Barkley was out with an injury. Brightwell didn't do much with those opportunities, and he had only one carry over his other five contests combined. The third-year pro's campaign came to a halt after he suffered an ankle injury that eventually landed him on IR, and though he was designated to return ahead of Week 16, New York didn't end up activating him. The Giants' running-back room is in flux heading into the offseason, with Barkley and veteran Matt Breida set to be free agents. Brightwell, 2023 rookie Eric Gray and Jashaun Corbin are New York's three RBs currently under contract for next year, with Gray the most likely of the three to take on a lead-back role if Barkley doesn't return and the team doesn't add a starting-caliber replacement.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Practice window opens Wednesday
Rotowire
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday that Brightwell (hamstring) has been designated for return from injured reseve, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Brightwell has been on IR since Week 7, but he'll return to practice Wednesday and can be added back to the 53-man roster at any point within the next 21 days. The running back carried nine times for 19 yards and recorded five receptions for 47 yards on seven targets in seven appearances this season prior to landing on IR.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Headed to IR
Rotowire
The Giants placed Brightwell (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.
Brightwell sustained a hamstring injury in Week 7 against the Commanders. He'll now have to sit out for at least the next four games and will be eligible to return against the Patriots on Nov. 26. Jashaun Corbin and Deon Jackson are set to take on backfield depth roles behind Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Clear to play vs. Jets
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game versus the Jets, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Brightwell is in line to return from a three-game absence in Week 8. With Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida both also healthy headed into Sunday's game, Brightwell figures to settle into a reserve role.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Non-participant at practice
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) did not participate at practice Wednesday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell was forced out of Sunday's game versus Washington with a hamstring injury, which is now also keeping him out of practice to start the week. Unless he can come back to practice Thursday or Friday, he'll probably have to sit out Week 8 versus the Jets.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Out for game
Rotowire
Brightwell (hamstring) will not return to Sunday's game against the Commanders, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports.
Brightwell did not record any stats before exiting, so it's unclear when he sustained the injury. Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida are New York's only remaining running backs on the active roster. Brightwell has nine carries for 19 yards in 2023.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Suiting up Sunday night
Rotowire
Brightwell (ankle) is active for Sunday's game against Buffalo.
Brightwell came into the weekend questionable with an ankle injury, but he will be able to take the field against Buffalo. Saquon Barkley (ankle) is also active for the contest, so Brightwell is likely to see his already small role on offense further reduced. Brightwell worked exclusively on special teams last week against Miami, and that may be the case again Sunday night.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Now sitting out of practice
Rotowire
Brightwell (ankle) did not participate at practice Thursday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell began the week with a limited practice Wednesday, but his absence Thursday puts his availability for Week 6 in doubt. If he can't practice in at least some capacity Friday, he'll probably be forced to sit out Sunday at Buffalo.
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Giants' Gary Brightwell: Good to go at Miami
Rotowire
Brightwell (ankle) does not carry an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game at the Dolphins, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell was hobbled at practice during the week, but the ankle issue he's dealing with won't be severe enough to keep him out in Week 5. His projected role depends almost squarely on the availability of Saquon Barkley, who is listed as questionable with an ankle injury of his own.
