CLEVELAND - Adam Hoppel's football career isn't over yet.

Hoppel, a 2004 Beaver?Local graduate, was signed to the Browns practice squad Monday and joined the team for workouts today in Cleveland.

"I pretty much wasn't expecting it when it happened," Hoppel said by phone Tuesday. "I wasn't really expecting to play football again."

Hoppel was signed by the Browns after this year's amateur draft and agreed to a free agent contract May 1, but was waived by the team Sept. 5 after the final roster cuts.

Each NFL team is allowed to establish a practice squad of up to eight players

"I get to do everything the team does except for game day," he said. "I don't get to dress for the games."

Hoppel, listed as a 6-foot-1, 307-pound defensive tackle on the Browns team website, said he got the call from his agent around 11:30 a.m. Monday and got on a plane for Cleveland.

"I've been working out,"?he said.?"Not precisely for football, though. I practiced?(Tuesday). I've lost a lot of weight, but I'll try to put more on."

According to the NFL collective bargaining agreement, the practice squad minimum salary from 2008 to 2010 is $5,200 per week for 17 weeks, or $88,400 per season.

During the preseason, Hoppel saw time in all four games, and totaled five tackles and a forced fumble.

He was one of 14 undrafted free agents, only one of whom made the team's opening day roster (linebacker Marcus Benard, Jackson State).

"I knew there was always a chance they'd call me,"?Hoppel said.?"I never totally canceled it out. I just figured, if it happens, it happens."

The Browns defense has been decimated by injuries, with five defensive players landing on the inured reserve list this season as they have struggled to a 1-11 record.

Defensive end Kenyon Coleman missed Sunday's games against San?Diego and has yet to practice this week after injuring his knee in a game against Cincinnati.

The Browns had 10 other players, including defensive lineman Robaire Smith (shoulder) limited in practice as they began preparation for tomorrow's game against Pittsburgh.

The were already thin along their defensive front after Shaun Rogers and C.J. Mosley were placed on IR. The team signed defensive lineman Derreck Robinson Monday, who has been with San Diego, Dallas and Miami.

Hoppel was a standout at the University of Cincinnati where he helped the Bearcats capture their first Big East?title with an 11-2 record and a berth in the Orange Bowl last year as a senior in which he started every game.

He saw action in 35 career games with UC and posted 81 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

This season, the Bearcats have a 12-0 mark, won another Big East title, and are headed to the Sugar Bowl Jan. 1 to play Florida. Cincinnati has been aided this year by another Beaver Local graduate on the defensive line in Derek Wolfe.

"I did expect this from him,"?Hoppel said of his former teammate. "He has all the tools to be as good as he wants to be. It's pretty cool. It'd be better if they were in the national championship game, though."