Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns announced on Tuesday that the team is signing former WR Rashard Higgins and LB Christian Kirksey to one-day contracts, as both players will retire as members of the team.

Higgins, 29, is a former fifth-round pick of the Browns back in 2016. He was entering the second year of his four-year, $2.584 million contract when the Browns elected to cut him loose at the start of the 2017 season. 

Higgins was later signed to the Browns’ practice squad before eventually being promoted to their active roster during the 2017 season. Cleveland brought Higgins back on a one-year restricted deal worth $2.025 million for 2019 and re-signed him to a one-year deal in 2020. 

He came back to the Browns on another one-year deal in 2021, which would be his last season with the team as he tested the open market in 2022 and found a new home with the Panthers.

In 2022, Higgins appeared in three games for the Panthers but did not record any statistics.

For his career, Higgins appeared in 85 games and caught 137 passes for 1,890 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

Kirksey, 31, is a former third-round pick of the Browns back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $3.04 million contract when he agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $38 million with $20 million guaranteed.

Kirksey was set to make a base salary of $7.75 million for the 2020 season when the Browns released him in March. The Packers later signed him to a two-year, $16 million contract and he was entering the second year of his deal when Green Bay waived him with a failed physical.

The Texans signed him to a one-year deal in 2021 and re-signed him to a two-year contract entering the 2022 season. However, he was cut coming out of the preseason and landed with the Bills practice squad. 

He had previously informed the Bills that he planned to retire back in September.

In 2022, Kirksey appeared in all 17 games for the Texans and recorded 124 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, a fumble recovery, two interceptions, and five pass deflections.

For his career, Kirksey appeared in 114 games for the Browns, Packers, and Texans. He recorded 778 tackles, 16.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and six fumble recoveries.

We wish Higgins and Kirksey the best in their retirement from the NFL.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Celtics finally put away undermanned Cavaliers, advance to conference finals
Avalanche force Game 6 with big third period vs. Stars
MLB announces punishment for Astros' Ronel Blanco over foreign substance
Vikings HC shares big Justin Jefferson contract update
Rafael Nadal switches gears, gives major update on French Open status
DeMar DeRozan confirms desire to return to Bulls
Mavericks defense rises to occasion in Game 5 win vs. Thunder
Steelers to make history in final two months of 2024 season
Packers will play on Thanksgiving with a rare twist in 2024
Steelers veteran reportedly plans to sit out OTAs
Padres pitcher has honest reaction to team getting booed off the field
Athletics place lefty on 15-day IL, transfer infielder to 60-day
Atlanta to be first race of NASCAR's In-Season Tournament
West Point alum made history in his MLB debut with Reds
Heat legend cautions Lakers against hiring JJ Redick
Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark sets infamous record in debut
Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to blowout win in Game 5 vs. Pacers
Nikola Jokic torches DPOY to lead Nuggets past Wolves in Game 5
Oilers use late heroics to tie Canucks at two games each
Watch: Astros pitcher ejected after foreign substance check