There are a few times out of the year when changes to the rosters of NFL teams really come into focus: NFL free agency, NFL draft and the initial 53-man roster. For the Cleveland Browns, it seems the initial 53-man roster might look significantly different just 24 hours later.
Fans who have been around Dawgs By Nature know for sure that Chris Pokorny is the king of the trackers. Long before everyone was tracking UDFAs, Chris was there. Well before most people were updating cuts as they happened, Chris was there.
Chris also always gives the official DBN initial 53-man roster prediction, but this year, we wanted to give you more, so you can find all of our 53-man roster predictions in this “Stream” on the site.
The Browns got an early jump on releases with 21 on Sunday, but this roster projection was made prior to that:
Quarterback (3)
- Joe Flacco
- Dillon Gabriel
- Shedeur Sanders
I’m not sold on the narrative of the Browns keeping four quarterbacks. While it is possible the initial 53 will have Kenny Pickett on it, the Browns are going to move him at the first opportunity, which if it doesn’t happen before Tuesday, should happen soon after, as there are teams searching for a backup.
Running back (3)
- Jerome Ford
- Pierre Strong
- Dylan Sampson
This is complicated by two things. The first is that Strong suffered a concussion on Saturday, so he is going to be out until he clears concussion protocol. Fortunately, he has two weeks until the season opener, but with the Browns rumored to be looking for another running back, Strong is definitely on the bubble.
Tight End (3)
- David Njoku
- Harold Fannin
- Blake Whiteheart
This is based on the knee injury that Whiteheart suffered on Saturday is not serious.
Wide receiver (6)
- Jerry Jeudy
- Cedric Tillman
- Gage Larvadain
- Isaiah Bond
- DeAndre Carter
- Jamari Thrash
No need to keep the Diontae Johnson comeback alive in Cleveland. Thrash, Larvadain, and Bond are all players with upside, while Carter earns a spot as the primary return man.
Offensive line (10)
- Jack Conklin
- Wyatt Teller
- Ethan Pocic
- Joel Bitonio
- Dawand Jones
- Luke Wypler
- Jackson Barton
- Zak Zinter
- Cornelius Lucas
- Teven Jenkins
Subject to change based on how serious the injuries are to Pocic and Lucas.
Defensive end (5)
- Myles Garrett
- Isaiah McGuire
- Alex Wright
- Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
- Cameron Thomas
Defensive tackle (5)
- Shelby Harris
- Maliek Collins
- Mason Graham
- Adin Huntington
- Mike Hall Jr.
If it looks like Hall will not be ready to go, expect Sam Kamara to take his spot for the moment.
Linebacker (5)
- Devin Bush
- Carson Schwesinger
- Mohamoud Diabate
- Winston Reid
- Jerome Baker
Diabate and Reid are both nursing injuries, so this is a position group in flux, depending on how soon they will be available. If one (or both) are going to be out a while, add Easton Masceranas-Arnold to the roster.
Cornerback (6)
- Denzel Ward
- Cam Mitchell
- Greg Newsome
- Dom Jones
- Tony Brown
- Myles Harden
Things are very questionable after Ward and Newsome, so this is another group that could change later in the week.
Safety (4)
- Grant Delpit
- Ronnie Hickman
- Damontae Kazee
- Rayshawn Jenkins
With all the attention on the quarterbacks, the safeties have flown under the radar throughout the summer. Whether that is good or bad remains to be seen.
Special Teams (3)
- P Corey Bojorquez
- K Andre Szmyt
- LS Rex Sunahara
Dustin Hopkins is broken, and the Browns can’t risk him. Szmyt has never kicked in a regular-season game, but everyone has to start somewhere.
What do you think of Tom’s prediction? Reminder, these were made prior to the Browns surprising many with 21 releases on Sunday
