The Browns have added some safety depth by claiming former Bucs safety Sabby Piscitelli off waivers. He was released by the Bucs on Tuesday.
Sabby Piscitelli (21) is the newest Browns' safety after being claimed on waivers.Updated at 8:15 p.m.
The Browns had better hope that their new safety, Sabby Piscitelli, is better than their old developmental one, rookie Larry Asante.
A day after Tampa Bay signed Asante off the Browns' practice squad, the Browns claimed Piscitelli, the player that Asante replaced in Tampa, a league source said. A 2007 second-round pick out of Oregon State, Piscitelli never lived up to expectations.
On Tuesday, the Bucs released Piscitelli, 27, even though starting free safety Cody Grimm, a rookie, was placed on injured reserve with a broken fibula suffered during Sunday's 17-10 loss to the Ravens.
Piscitelli (6-3, 224) was the starting strong safety for the Bucs last season, but missed a league-high 19 tackles. In training camp, he lost his starting job to former Browns safety Sean Jones, and said he didn't think the competition was fair.
In Week 3, when Bucs free safety Tanard Jackson was suspended indefinitely by the NFL, Piscitelli was passed over for the job in favor of Grimm, the Bucs' seventh-round pick in April. Piscitelli was pressed into service Sunday against the Ravens when Grimm suffered the injury, but Piscitelli didn't fare well.
He apparently bit on a play-fake and left tight Todd Heap wide open for a 65-yard touchdown pass. But Bucs coach Raheem Morris told reporters the mistake wasn't cause for Piscitelli's release.
"It's never based on one individual play or one individual movement," said Morris. "It's about what's best for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We have to do what's best for this football team and what's best for the young man as well. We feel good about it. Hopefully he'll go on and go out there and prosper and do well himself."
Asante, the 160th overall pick out of Nebraska, is already the No. 2 free safety on the Bucs' depth chart. In the off-season, the Browns had high hopes for Asante, and there was some talk that eventually he and T.J. Ward would be the Browns' starting safeties. But he tailed off in camp and wound up on the practice squad.
Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen touted Piscitelli as the next John Lynch, a nine-time Pro Bowler who played 11 seasons for Tampa Bay, when they drafted him. In four years with the team, he started 20 of his 43 games, with 161 tackles and five interceptions. He also had 13 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. This season Piscitelli totaled 15 tackles with one interception that was returned 31 yards.
Moore's hitter fined $40K: Panthers safety Sherrod Martin was fined $40,000 Wednesday for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns tight end Evan Moore in the end zone. The Panthers were penalized 10 yards for unnecessary roughness, and Peyton Hillis scored on a 9-yard run on the next play.
Martin's fine was big because because he was a repeat offender this season. In week one, he was fined $5,000 for a hit on the Giants' Kevin Boss.
"I was going for the ball first and he was on his way down," Martin told reporters after the game. "I don't know what more they want me to do. I'm trying to make a tackle and I'm going down and he's going down."
Moore, who suffered a concussion earlier this season, came up a bit wobbly, but then quickly shook it off and didn't miss a beat.
Cribbs, Ward idle: Receiver Josh Cribbs (foot) and safety T.J. Ward (thigh) were among eight Browns idle on Wednesday. The others were linebacker Eric Barton (shoulder), linebacker Scott Fujita (knee), quarterback Colt McCoy (ankle), nose tackle Shaun Rogers (ankle), fullback Lawrence Vickers (calf) and cornerback Eric Wright (knee).
Mangini said he anticipates Cribbs playing some on offense in Miami in addition to returning punts and kicks.
"He does present some of the problems that teams have to prepare for," said Mangini. "To put him back in the wildcat, that's pretty good too."
Ward, who's suffering from soreness in his thigh, is expected back on the field on Thursday.
"I'm definitely hoping to play this weekend and I think I will," he said.
Norwood ready: Mangini said the Browns signed receiver Jordan Norwood off the practice squad because he kept showing up in practice. "He worked on offense, he worked on defense and every week he just keeps catching balls," said Mangini.
"I'm definitely more of a slot receiver," said Norwood. "I played mostly in the slot here in practice and in college. I can return punts and kicks should I need to do that. I'll hop in there. I'd love to do that."
Other moves: The Browns released running back Thomas Clayton, who was active for two games and inactive for two. They also signed defensive back Coye Francies to their practice squad. A sixth-round pick of the Browns in 2009, Francies spent the 2010 season helping the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL win the league title. Marshall update: Dolphins Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday after missing two weeks with a right hamstring injury. Coach Tony Sparano said the day after an injured player returns to practice is usually the pivotal one, to see how the injury responds.