BEREA - Browns quarterback Colt McCoy downplayed reports that he had a poor working relationship with Seneca Wallace last season.
McCoy survived the final cuts Friday and will open the season as Brandon Weeden's backup. The Browns bought out Wallace's contract before waiving him.
"I will say that Seneca and I have been great," McCoy said. "I talked to him (Friday). The time we spent together was fun. I think a lot was made by you guys (in the media) about us and our relationship. We have been great. We ended this thing great. I can't say anything but good things about him.
"He was a veteran. He knew this system. He played in it his whole career. He was a guy that came out to work and set an example for the younger guys. Always worked hard. Never late for meetings and a true professional. It's sad to see a guy like that go. It's an emotional weekend. I wish nothing but the best for him."
Wallace, 32, admitted last season that he didn't think it was his job to mentor McCoy, who was in his second NFL season and first as a starter.
READY TO GO: There was speculation throughout training camp that the Browns were trying to trade McCoy. Now that it appears he's here for another season, he's prepared to fill the backup role.
"My attitude doesn't change," he said. "My competitive drive doesn't change. I come out and work and play and compete and practice. I'll try my best to make the Browns and our organization the best it can be."
WHAT HAPPENED: Last year tight end Evan Moore was given a two-year contract extension through 2013 worth about $3 million per season. Friday his contract was bought out.
"We like Evan a lot, and we think he has some value to a team, but we thought he was one of the guys that could make plays and he didn't have a whole lot of them," general manager Tom Heckert said. "It was a situation of was he going to be active or wasn't he going to be active? With four tight ends you're not going to have four active."
ALMOST READY: Tight end Ben Watson has missed almost all of camp with an undisclosed injury that is believed to be to a leg. Heckert is confident that Watson will be ready to go for the opener.
"I think he's ready to go pretty quickly," Heckert said. "Shape-wise you don't have to worry about that at all. It's nothing serious. We just want him to be ready for the first week."
YOUTH IS SERVED: Fifteen rookies made the final cut, which is an unusually high number. Included among those players are undrafted free agents L.J. Fort (linebacker), Tashaun Gipson (defensive back) and Johnson Bademosi (defensive back).
"It was nothing we planned," Heckert said. "As you can see there may be too many at some positions, but we talked about it at our meeting the other day and we want to keep the best 53."
ROSTER MOVES: The Browns claimed linebacker Tank Carder and defensive lineman Ishmaa'ily Kitchen off waivers. Carder was a fifth-round pick of the Bills this year. Kitchen signed with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie this year.
The Browns signed eight players to the practice squad, including linebacker Solomon Elimimian, defensive lineman Ronnie Cameron, receiver Josh Cooper, linebacker Benjamin Jacobs, fullback Brad Smelley, offensive lineman Garth Gerhart, offensive lineman Jarrod Shaw and offensive lineman Jeff Shugarts. All but Elimimian were waived by the Browns Friday.
