NFL training camp players returning to college football? How? - ESPN

The ongoing legal war between the NCAA and athletes pursuing a fifth year of eligibility arrived at a historic milestone on Sunday: An NFL player was waived so he could go back to college.

After suiting up with the Cleveland Browns for their preseason game Saturday, tight end Dae'Quan Wright is hoping he'll soon be able to return to the SEC and start practicing with LSU.

Wright is one of a growing number of former FBS players who started their careers in the 2022-23 academic year and are seriously exploring a return to college football after going undrafted this spring. They're chasing a fifth year they believe they're owed by the NCAA, right before college athletics implemented new age-based eligibility rules.

Buckle up, because more lawsuits in state courts now seem inevitable. The NFL roster cutdown deadline is Sunday, so this is sure to become a popular topic among rookies and their agents over the next week as they watch how Wright's situation plays out and debate whether trying to go back to school makes sense.

Here's what you need to know about this unprecedented eligibility battle.

Wright is attempting something we've never seen before. The Browns have waived him and, if he clears waivers, he has an agreement in place to return to the college ranks and play for LSU.

How in the world did we end up here? The answer is complicated. But Browns coach Todd Monken's reaction during his Saturday postgame news conference summed up the situation nicely: «Man, ain't this s--- crazy?»

Wright dressed for the Browns' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday but did not play. At the same time, he's currently available in the NCAA transfer portal thanks to a temporary restraining order granted by a judge in Louisiana