NFL cut down day is Saturday September 5 at 3:00 PM central. Time to play every Browns fan favorite game, the 53 man roster projection game. I’m basing my projections on the new roster rules of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement which have been modified due to Covid-19. If you are unaware of the new rules, I recently wrote an article on this subject for http://www.CLEsportstalk.com. Just click on the Browns tab in the upper left of the page and look for “Cut Down Day – The New Practice Squad And Roster Rules.” So here goes:
Quarterback (2). Baker Mayfield/ Case Keenum. Pretty easy, Garrett Gilbert to the practice squad, hopefully, and he is the Browns emergency QB.
Running Back (4). Nick Chubb/ Kareem Hunt/ D’Ernest Johnson/ Andy Janovich. I know Dontrell Hilliard has more experience, however I think Johnson has outplayed him in training camp.
Wide Receiver (6). OBJ/ Jarvis Landry/ Rashard Higgins/ Donovan Peoples-Jones/ KhaDarel Hodge/Jo Jo Natson. Hodge barely outplayed Taywan Taylor in training camp, however Hodge is a better special teams player. Peoples-Jones and Natson give the Browns better options in the return game.
Tight End (4). Austin Hooper/ David Njoku/ Harrison Bryant/ Pharaoh Brown. I hope they can sneak Stephen Carlson onto the practice squad.
Offensive Line (9). Jedrick Wills/Joel Bitonio/ J.C. Tretter/ Wyatt Teller/ Jack Conklin/ Chris Hubbard/ Kendall Lamm/ Willie Wright/ Nick Harris. Alex Taylor and Evan Brown are players who could make the practice squad. although I worry Taylor won’t make it through waivers. If Tretter isn’t ready for game one, Wright can be the back up center to Nick Harris.
Defensive Line (8). Olivier Vernon/ Larry Ogunjobi/ Sheldon Richardson/ Myles Garrett/ Porter Gustin/ Jordan Elliot/ Eli Ankou/ Adrian Clayborn. Looks like the Chad Thomas era comes to an end in Cleveland. Gustin has had a better training camp. Ankou is a big body the middle of the defensive line needs.
Linebacker(6). B.J. Goodson/ Malcolm Smith/ Jacob Phillips/ Sione Takitaki/ Tae Davis/ Willie Harvey. Davis and Harvey are great special teams players, so they make the roster. Solomon Ajayi and Montrel Meander to the practice squad. Mack Wilson to IR.
Secondary(11). Denzel Ward/ Greedy Williams/ Kevin Johnson/ Terrance Mitchell/ M.J. Stewart/ Tavierre Thomas/ Donovan Olumba/ A.J. Green/ Andrew Sendejo/ Karl Joseph/ Sheldrick Redwine. This position group is the only one that has a lot of questions. What is the health of Greedy Williams and Kevin Johnson? Why only three safeties? There’s obviously isn’t a veteran safety free agent that GM Andrew Berry is interested in, or he would have signed one. If Greedy Williams has to go on the injured reserve, then I think Robert Jackson makes the roster. Jovante Moffatt, J.T Hassell and Donnie Lewis, Jr. to the practice squad.
Specialists (3). Austin Seibert/Jamie Gilliam/ Charley Hughlett.
So there’s my Browns 53 man roster. As explained in my article, the practice squad has expanded from twelve to sixteen and each week during the season NFL teams can protect four players. I fully expect GM Andrew Berry to scan the waiver wire on Saturday and into Sunday looking to fill the bottom of the roster, so the practice squad will be in flux all weekend. Stay safe and Go Browns.