CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, who missed last season after getting a staph infection in his right knee.

Jurevicius played two seasons for his hometown Browns. He caught 40 passes in 2006 and had 50 receptions with three touchdowns in 2007. The 34-year-old underwent a simple procedure to clean out scar tissue in January 2008, and he contracted staph. The infection ravaged Jurevicius' knee and he had to have six more operations.

Jurevicius joined the Browns as an unrestricted free agent in 2006. In 11 seasons with the New York Giants, Tampa Bay, Seattle and Cleveland, he had 323 receptions for 4,119 yards and 29 TDs.