Updated 53-Man Roster Projections for Cleveland Browns Post-Preseason Week 3
Three of the Cleveland Browns' four preseason games are in the books, and we're less than two weeks away from the team's season opener against the New York Jets. That can only mean one thing—roster cuts are coming.
On Tuesday, the Browns have to reduce their roster from 90 players to 75, and on September 5, that number shrinks to 53. Every NFL team faces tough but necessary decisions ahead.
Based on what we've seen this summer and through the preseason, with the pads finally on and the hitting live, here is the latest 53-man roster projection for the Browns this year.
Quarterback
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Quarterback: Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel; Wild Cards: Connor Shaw/Thaddeus Lewis
It's a lock that Josh McCown will be the Browns' starting quarterback for at least their Week 1 contest against the New York Jets, with Johnny Manziel as his backup.
It's the third-string position that starts to get murky.
Last year, the Browns kept only two quarterbacks—Brian Hoyer and Manziel—on the 53-man roster, while Connor Shaw spent all but the very end of the year on the practice squad. That could be the case this year, as Shaw is still eligible to be on the practice squad. But the thumb injury he suffered in the preseason complicates matters.
The Browns could opt to stash Shaw on the practice squad while the thumb continues to heal and release backups Thaddeus Lewis and Pat Devlin. Or they could put Shaw on the injured reserve-recall list, making Lewis their third-stringer.
However, Lewis would have to take up a spot on the 53-man roster in order for that to happen. He is not eligible for Cleveland's practice squad.
Ultimately, Shaw should be back on the practice squad while his thumb continues to heal, and he'll be called up only in an emergency situation—as he was last year.
Wide Receiver
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Wide Receiver: Dwayne Bowe, Andrew Hawkins, Brian Hartline, Taylor Gabriel, Travis Benjamin, Marlon Moore, Terrelle Pryor
At this point, Dwayne Bowe, Andrew Hawkins, Brian Hartline and Taylor Gabriel are in no danger of losing their roster footing in Cleveland. But that makes for some tough decisions for the Browns to make when it comes to their depth receivers.
Travis Benjamin looks healthy and fast, and has proven reliable both in the returning and receiving games for the Browns this summer. This will save his job.
Marlon Moore, meanwhile, contributes little as a receiver, but he's important to the Browns' punt coverage team, which has ESPN.com's Pat McManamon believing Moore's job is safe.
Terrelle Pryor has yet to play a preseason snap at wide receiver, as he's been battling through hamstring woes this summer. But his athletic upside may force the Browns to keep him around at the expense of other receivers.
In this situation, rookies Darius Jennings and Vince Mayle as well as Josh Lenz could all be considered for the practice squad. Otherwise, Pryor would be the odd man out if the Browns think one of these other three receivers can contribute more to the team this year.
Running Back
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Running Back: Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West, Duke Johnson, Shaun Draughn, (FB) Malcolm Johnson
This is a far less confusing position for the Browns on the offensive side of the ball.
Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West and Duke Johnson will be the three Browns backs to touch the ball most often this year, while Shaun Draughn will act as a backup and could also be used as a punt or kick returner. Rookie Malcolm Johnson, meanwhile, will handle duties as a hybrid fullback/H-back.
This means that Glenn Winston, who has missed all of training camp and the preseason, is subject to being cut, as are summertime fill-ins Jalen Parmele and Timothy Flanders.
Rookie Luke Lundy could also be cut or head to the practice squad.
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Tight End
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Tight End: Gary Barnidge, Jim Dray, E.J. Bibbs
Rob Housler was brought on in free agency to replace tight end Jordan Cameron, but now he's on the outside of the roster looking in with Gary Barnidge proving more than capable of being the team's primary pass-catching tight end along with handling blocking duties.
Jim Dray also appears set to stick around, serving more as a blocker but also as an outlet receiver.
Undrafted rookie E.J. Bibbs has managed to turn more heads in a positive way than Housler this summer, which gives him the nod over the veteran on the 53-man roster.
Offensive Line
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Offensive Line: Joel Bitonio, John Greco, Alex Mack, Joe Thomas, Mitchell Schwartz, Cameron Erving, Andrew McDonald/Vinston Painter
The Browns' starting offensive line won't look any different this year, with Alex Mack serving as center, Joel Bitonio and John Greco as guards, and Mitchell Schwartz and Joe Thomas as tackles.
That's not to say that first-round 2015 draft pick Cameron Erving lacks the talent to crack the starting lineup.
Head coach Mike Pettine told reporters on Sunday that "We'll meet and have personnel meetings, but I think the starting five will be tough to crack, but that's not a slight against Cam in the least. We're very encouraged in seeing what he can do."
The question is who will serve as depth alongside Erving. Erving can play guard, center or tackle, which allows the Browns to be a bit thinner on the depth chart.
The final spot looks to belong to either Vinston Painter or Andrew McDonald. Painter is a natural guard, while McDonald can and has played center and tackle. What the Browns see as a bigger need will determine these two players' fates.
Defensive Line
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Defensive Line: Armonty Bryant, Desmond Bryant, Phil Taylor, Danny Shelton, Xavier Cooper, Randy Starks, John Hughes, Billy Winn
The Browns cannot have too many defensive linemen, given the rotational approach they take to both the defensive tackle and end positions. But they have to keep a select few, given that their number of available roster spots is finite.
Established veterans like Armonty Bryant, Desmond Bryant, Phil Taylor, John Hughes and Billy Winn should have nothing to worry about, and neither should run-stopper Randy Starks, who signed as a free agent during the offseason.
Rookies Danny Shelton and Xavier Cooper have been standouts since the pads came on earlier this summer, locking down their roster spots as well.
That leaves little wiggle room for players like Dylan Wynn and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen. Wynn or Jamie Meder could head to the practice squad, though, allowing the Browns to retain some of their more promising young defensive line depth.
Linebacker
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Linebacker: Scott Solomon, Barkevious Mingo, Paul Kruger, Nate Orchard, Karlos Dansby, Chris Kirksey, Craig Robertson
The linebacker positions for the Browns seem mostly set. Paul Kruger will be starting on the outside, with Scott Solomon and Barkevious Mingo splitting time on the other side. Rookie Nate Orchard could also see his playing time increase as the season wears on.
At inside linebacker, Karlos Dansby and Chris Kirksey have made those jobs their own.
The question is whether Craig Robertson gets the nod to back them up or Tank Carder takes it instead. Depending on the decisions the Browns make at other positions, Robertson and Carder could end up on the 53-man roster next week.
Cornerback
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Cornerback: Joe Haden, Tramon Williams, K'Waun Williams, Pierre Desir, Justin Gilbert
Joe Haden and Tramon Williams are locks to be the Browns' starting outside cornerbacks this year, which leaves just the slot corner job up for grabs.
At first, it appeared that K'Waun Williams would take the job over Justin Gilbert, but both K'Waun and Gilbert have been sidelined with oblique and hip injuries, respectively.
With the two out, Pierre Desir had stepped in, but he suffered a concussion in Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That forced rookie Charles Gaines onto the field with the first-team defense, and he performed well, with two pass breakups and an interception.
Ultimately, K'Waun and Gilbert could likely play through their injuries in a regular-season context, so neither should be in trouble of losing their roster spot. And Desir represents ever-improving depth.
That means Gaines might have to stew on the practice squad for some time, but it could only take one bad game out of K'Waun or Gilbert to see him called up.
With that said, the injuries to K'Waun, Desir and Gilbert are worth monitoring. If they're expected to linger into the regular season, Gaines could earn a roster spot at the expense of another position.
Safety
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Safety: Tashaun Gipson, Donte Whitner, Jordan Poyer, Johnson Bademosi, Ibraheim Campbell
Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner will be the Browns' starters at safety—there is no debating that. The questions come on the depth chart behind them.
Jordan Poyer has been such a promising player that he deserves to be No. 2 on the depth chart, while rookie Ibraheim Campbell has simply been too good this summer for the team to risk waiving him with the intent to place him on the practice squad.
Meanwhile, Johnson Bademosi, who can work at both safety and cornerback, is one of the Browns' most important special teams players. Thus, like receiver Marlon Moore, he should have job security.
But there are a lot of moving parts to the bottom of the Browns' roster, and the number of safeties kept could be affected by how the Browns approach other positions, like receiver, quarterback, defensive line and cornerback.
Special Teams
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Special Teams: Travis Coons (Kicker), Andy Lee (Punter), Charley Hughlett (Long Snapper)
Everything involving the punting and long-snapping games for the Browns is set, with Pro Bowler Andy Lee handling the punting and Charley Hughlett handling the long-snapping.
But kicker is a job that is still up for grabs. Speaking with reporters last week, Browns special teams coach Chris Tabor described the battle between Travis Coons and Carey Spear as "still neck and neck."
So far this preseason, Spear has made both of his field-goal attempts, while Coons has made his one attempt. The difference might come down to the two's kickoffs. According to Pro Football Focus, Spear has hit seven kickoffs, with 57.1 percent of them returned. Meanwhile, Coons has had only 33.3 percent of his six kickoffs returned.
Spear has the better distance at 69 yards on average to Coons' 63.7 yards, but his kickoffs have also produced fewer touchbacks. This is a tough competition to crack, and Tabor is correct in saying the two are fairly equal at this point.
The final decision will come after Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears. Just to switch things up, Coons gets the nod here, but it would not be a surprise if it were Spear instead.
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