Making the Call on the Cleveland Browns' Hardest Remaining Cuts

In just a few short weeks, the Cleveland Browns will have to begin reducing their roster, first to 75 players on September 1, then to 53 on September 5. Big decisions are looming.

Some of these decisions will be harder to make than others. Even the players who seem obviously heading for a meeting with The Turk can be difficult cuts to make.

Those players can be fan favorites, unknowns who made training camp names for themselves—albeit at crowded positions where a roster spot is less secure, or players who seemed promising in the spring or useful a year ago but have seen their particular roles phased out as the summer has progressed.

Here are five players who look like they could be on their way out in Cleveland, no matter how painful that may seem.

OL Michael Bowie

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The Browns had high hopes for offensive tackle Michael Bowie when they signed him last year, despite the fact that he was on the injured reserve list. But now that he's healthy, Bowie isn't just rusty—he's simply not the player the Browns thought he was.

Bowie was manhandled in the Browns' first preseason game against Washington. Playing at right tackle, Pro Football Focus gave him a minus-1.8 grade. He was particularly bad in pass protection, where he gave up one sack and one quarterback hurry. He was constantly pushed around and knocked down.

If Bowie is a tackle who cannot play his position, the Browns simply have no need for him. Though the team was initially optimistic about his potential, he hasn't lived up to expectations.

TE Rob Housler

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When veteran free-agent tight end Rob Housler was signed by the Browns in the spring, it seemed like he'd be a lock to be the team's starting receiving tight end, picking up where Jordan Cameron left off. 

But at this point in August, that doesn't seem to be the case. He's stuck at No. 3 on the depth chart behind Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray and has seen little preseason playing time thus far.

Why? Because he keeps dropping passes.

Last week, the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich wrote, "Housler dropped at least two passes during practice, and consistently catching the ball has been an issue for him throughout camp."

It's a fact not lost on head coach Mike Pettine either, who said, "The rest of his game has been solid, but that's something that the ball gets thrown to you, you've got to catch it."

Pettine said that Housler would have a chance to redeem himself in the preseason, but he only had one target last week. With E.J. Bibbs turning heads in camp, the Browns may take him over Housler as the third tight end on the roster.

DT Ishmaa'ily Kitchen

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The Browns current list of defensive linemen is long, which means there will be a glut of roster cuts at the defensive end and tackle positions. Tackle Ishmaa'ily Kitchen looks like he could get caught up in them.

Last year, Kitchen appeared in 12 games with three starts at nose tackle. But now that the Browns have a healthy Phil Taylor along with rookie Danny Shelton to handle the job, Kitchen simply may not be needed.

That's not to say that Kitchen lacks talent, but roster spots are finite and the Browns already have far more defensive tackles than they will need. The numbers game will likely claim another victim in Kitchen.

OL Ryan Seymour

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Last year, offensive lineman Ryan Seymour proved invaluable to the Browns late in the season. He took over at center for a struggling Andrew McDonald, who had been filling in for the injured starter Alex Mack.

But with Mack healthy, McDonald still with the team and rookie Cameron Erving capable of playing multiple positions on the line, including center, it looks like Seymour could be the odd man out this year.

Seymour is also set to serve a four-game suspension at the beginning of the season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, making his chances of sticking around even slimmer.

WR Josh Lenz

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Receiver Josh Lenz turned a few heads at the Browns' Orange & Brown Scrimmage earlier in the month, as he seemed to have a strong rapport with backup quarterback Johnny Manziel. 

But catching passes from a backup quarterback as a second- and third-team receiver does not spell roster security. And that strong performance didn't carry over to the Browns' first preseason game against Washington.

Lenz was targeted four times but came down with just one pass for five yards. Though he's looked good in practices and scrimmages, there's no need for him to take up a spot on the 53-man roster if he can't contribute in actual games.

The Browns are crowded at receiver right now, and more than a few will have to be released next month. Lenz appears to be one of them.