Hard work has once again paid off for Luke Floriea in his pursuit of an NFL career.

The Browns on Sept. 23 signed the Mentor graduate to their practice squad. Defensive end K.J. Henry was released to create a spot for Floriea on the 16-man unit.

Floriea went undrafted after catching 100 passes in five seasons at Kent State. He also returned 21 punts for 160 yards and seven kicks for 104 yards for the Golden Flashes.

The Browns invited Floriea to their rookie minicamp in May as a tryout player. He made a strong impression as a receiver and returner and was quickly signed to a three-year, non-guaranteed contract.

Floriea continued to impress the coaches as a receiver and punt returner in training camp. Making the 53-man roster might have been difficult, but early on the Browns were projecting him as a practice squad player if he didn’t make the final roster.

But in the preseason opener against the Panthers on Aug. 8, Floriea injured his left hamstring stretching while making a one-handed catch of a pass from Shedeur Sanders for a 30-yard gain. Head coach Kevin Stefanski deemed the injury “serious.”

Floriea was placed on injured reserve and then waived Aug. 13 with an injury settlement. As soon as he was able, Floriea began rehabbing at a facility in Beachwood. The Browns couldn’t guide him through his rehab because he was no longer part of the team, but they paid for it and monitored his progress.

“It was just a strain — a couple weeks out and I’ll be back,” Floriea said Sept. 5 while on the sideline at Jerome T. Osborne Stadium for the St. Ignatius-Mentor game. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m cool with whatever plan the Browns or another team has for me. I’m taking it day by day to get better.”

Job security does not come with being on the practice squad. Floriea is one of four wide receivers on the Browns’ practice squad. The others are Kaden Davis, Gage Larvadain and Malachi Corley. But the Browns obviously think of Floriea highly enough to re-sign him. Stefanski had a nickname for him in training camp before Floriea was injured.

“I call him Rambo,” Stefanski said Aug. 2. “He wears that bandana across his head. He’s a local kid. He’s doing a nice job. Putting him in there at different spots, he continues to show up.

“The biggest thing for me, when you’re evaluating these guys, is putting them in some positions and seeing how they respond. I think he’s responded really well.”

Floriea’s first practice in his new role on the practice squad will be Sept. 24 when the Browns resume preparation for their game with the Lions on Sept. 28 in Detroit. The Browns were off Sept. 23.

Browns at Lions

When: 1 p.m. Sept. 28

Where: Ford Field, Detroit

Records: Browns 1-2, Lions 2-1

Betting line: Browns +8.5

TV: WJW

Radio: WKNR-AM 850, WKRK-FM 92.3, WNCX-FM 98.5