Nick McDonald started seven games at center for the Cleveland Browns last season. Now he's an ex-Brown.

The team announced Wednesday that it waived McDonald with an injury designation. With first-round pick Cameron Erving on the roster, McDonald was expendable. He watched Tuesday's practice with a compression sleeve on his left leg.

McDonald filled in after he recovered from a broken wrist, the result of a car accident in January of 2014. ProFootballFocus rated him the league's 39th center, but that ranking doesn't do justice to the effort McDonald gave. He had not played in more than a year, and filled in to the best of his ability when Alex Mack was hurt and Paul McQuistan did not work out at right guard.

Erving figures to be at worst the team's versatile backup this season. He played left tackle and center at Florida State last season, and has practiced at several positions on the line since he was taken 19th overall.