When it comes to the complicated task of guessing who will make the Cleveland Browns’ initial 53-man roster, the most important factor is the health and availability of longtime offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin. Both missed all of training camp and the preseason and remain on the physically unable to perform list with knee injuries.
Ahead of Tuesday’s deadline to cut the roster from 90 to 53 and address PUP designations for the start of the regular season, we’re projecting that Wills and Conklin will be on the active roster. Before Saturday night’s preseason finale in Seattle, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on the team’s official pregame show that he expects the Browns will have a chance to get both players back on the practice field and potentially ready for the Sept. 8 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Tackle issues were a part of the team’s forgettable offensive showing through training camp. Quarterback Deshaun Watson didn’t play at all in the preseason while Watson continued his comeback from shoulder surgery, and the tackle shortage likely played a role in the Browns’ decision to change course and keep Watson out of the preseason finale. James Hudson III was the No. 1 left tackle for most of camp before Hudson suffered an ankle injury in the second preseason game, and Germain Ifedi went from backup guard in the spring to playing both tackle spots and playing left tackle with the starters.
Berry said that the team still had “one or two spots up for grabs” headed to the preseason finale. The Browns have spent big to build and maintain a talented roster that made the playoffs last season, and dating back to the spring it always felt like there were only a handful of jobs on the 53-man roster that were uncertain.
A rash of summer injuries at multiple positions — but especially on the offensive line and in the back seven of the defense — have forced Berry’s staff to be flexible. Those injuries make this kind of projection more difficult. The Browns are probably heavy at quarterback and defensive tackle, but they’ve had to scramble across the offensive line and will have to make tough decisions in the secondary and at wide receiver not just in finding their best 53 players, but in trying to keep quality depth for their 16-man practice squad.
With the preseason over, here’s how I view Cleveland’s Monday and Tuesday path to getting to 53 players …
Quarterback
How many will make the roster? Almost certainly three.
My best guesses: Watson, Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley.
Breakdown: It’s been Dorian Thompson-Robinson versus Huntley for the No. 3 job, and though I believe Thompson-Robinson had an excellent camp ahead of his second NFL season, the Browns were recently telling teams making calls on quarterbacks that they were leaning towards keeping Huntley. We’ll see how it goes — and the ultimate plan could depend on how the Browns view other positions and what they might be offered in a trade. Presumably, Watson is going to play soon and Winston is going to prepare as the top backup.
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Browns willing to engage in trade talks involving Thompson-Robinson: Source
Running back
How many will make the roster? Three or four. There are injury issues across the depth chart. Pierre Strong Jr. is dealing with a rib contusion from the final open practice of camp, and D’Onta Foreman left the preseason finale with a rib injury. Strong is one of the Browns’ best all-around special teams players, and Foreman was one of the Browns’ first kickoff returners in the preseason finale because Strong didn’t play.
My best guesses: Jerome Ford, Strong and Foreman.
Breakdown: If either Foreman or Strong has a significant injury, the team will have to look externally for running back help. All indications are that Nick Chubb will start the season on the PUP list, which means he won’t be part of the initial 53-man roster and will miss at least four games. Nyheim Hines also didn’t participate at all in training camp, but it’s uncertain if he’ll be activated or remain on the non-football injury list.
Undrafted rookie Aidan Robbins is probably headed for the practice squad, but it’s tough to project much of anything without knowing the status of Hines, Foreman or Strong two weeks ahead of the season opener.
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Wide receiver
How many will make the roster? Either five or six.
My best guesses: Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore and David Bell.
Breakdown: It feels like there are four locks and then it comes down to either Bell or rookie Jamari Thrash for the fifth spot. Maybe both can make it with the way Thrash came on over the last few weeks of summer when Bell was sidelined by a quad injury. I believe the coaching staff trusts Bell to get himself in the right place if he’s called upon. Thrash played with the No. 1 offense on the first series of the preseason finale and caught a long touchdown pass from Thompson-Robinson, but I don’t view Thrash as a roster lock. The Browns clearly didn’t put much stock into the three preseason games.
THRASHING the middle of the defense 🔥
DTR finds Jamari for a 46-yard TD pic.twitter.com/AZNol0XNla
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 25, 2024
Until I see real chemistry with the quarterback and real progress from the passing game, I’ll continue to believe that wide receiver could be a problem area. But Jeudy’s speed was evident when he was healthy in camp, and maybe Tillman can continue to ascend in his second season. So as long as Cooper and Watson are healthy, maybe things will click with more reps.
Michael Woods II seems headed for the practice squad. A few weeks ago it felt like the door was open for Woods to make the team, but the reps say Thrash passed Woods. We’ll probably also see either James Proche II or Jaelon Darden land on the practice squad and continue to be in the mix for one of the team’s return jobs via game-day call-ups.
Tight end
How many will make the roster? Three eventually, but maybe only two initially.
My best guesses: David Njoku and Jordan Akins, then eventually a player not currently on the roster.
Breakdown: Njoku is the No. 1, and he’s sitting on another big season. Akins is the clear No. 2; he’s been around and catches most passes thrown his way. Giovanni Ricci was going to make it as the third tight end and first fullback, but he suffered a knee injury that caused him to be released via injury settlement. The Browns might keep Zaire Mitchell-Paden, but they’re more likely to seek out a third tight end externally and try to keep Mitchell-Paden on the practice squad for a third straight season.
Offensive line
How many will make the roster? Probably 10 given that the team’s two most experienced tackles missed all of camp and are coming back from significant knee injuries.
My best guesses: We’ll guess that Conklin and Wills will be activated. So, Conklin, Wills, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Dawand Jones, Zak Zinter, Nick Harris, Ifedi and Hudson. Obviously, injuries complicate this projection.
Breakdown: Veteran backup interior player Michael Dunn has been out since early August with an undisclosed injury. Hudson has what’s believed to be a short-term ankle injury, so it’s hard to project if those players will be on the active 53-man roster or potentially on injured reserve. Even if Wills and Conklin are penciled in for the Sept. 8 season opener, the Browns will still need Ifedi and another potential emergency left tackle to prepare for that game.
Might Conklin eventually be an emergency left tackle option? We’ll see. Further down the line, it’s obvious that Zinter and Nick Harris will be on the team. Until Dunn returns, they’re the top two interior backup options. Ifedi was playing guard in the spring before the Browns encountered an extended tackle shortage. Bitonio moved outside to left tackle for two games in 2021.
The Browns will probably try to keep undrafted rookies Javion Cohen and Lorenzo Thompson on the practice squad for developmental reasons, but until there’s more clarity with Wills and Conklin, another experienced tackle addition can’t be ruled out.
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Defensive end
How many will make the roster? Probably five. There are four locks.
My best guesses: Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire.
Breakdown: Garrett is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and in limited camp work he looked ready for a repeat. Smith and Okoronkwo have their roles set, and Wright showed promise last season. Given the importance of the position, five will make it. McGuire gets the edge over Isaiah Thomas based on McGuire being a 2023 fourth-round pick who was always viewed as a developmental player, but the Browns might look externally.
Isaiah McGuire, a 2023 fourth-round pick, is likely to make the roster to continue his development. (Eric Hartline / USA Today)
Defensive tackle
How many will make the roster? Either five or six.
My best guesses: Dalvin Tomlinson, Quinton Jefferson, Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst II, Mike Hall Jr. and Jowon Briggs.
Breakdown: Tomlinson, the team’s top defensive tackle, missed all of training after a July knee scope. We’ll guess that Tomlinson will be on the active roster and in line to return to practice soon, but his status for the season opener is unknown. Hurst has been dealing with an undisclosed injury, but he’s almost certain to be on the team if he’s healthy.
The Browns decided they’d let Hall practice the day after Hall’s Aug. 13 arrest on a domestic violence charge. The team also decided that it wouldn’t publicly address the charges, so all signs indicate that Hall will be on the 53-man roster and probably active for the season opener. Perhaps the Browns will keep one more defensive tackle than most teams do because of Tomlinson’s recovery and because the Browns have amassed impressive depth at the position. If it comes down to Briggs versus 2023 third-round pick Siaki Ika, the guess from here is the Browns pick Briggs. Based on the numbers game, it might be neither.
The Browns traded defensive tackle Chris Williams to the Chicago Bears on Saturday for a swap of late-round 2025 picks. Williams and Sam Kamara both were impressive in camp, but the Browns were able to trade from a position of strength. Kamara probably will be on the practice squad.
Linebacker
How many will make the roster? Anywhere from four to six. The Browns will likely keep multiple linebackers on the practice squad for purposes of development and game-day call-ups for special teams duty.
My best guesses: Jordan Hicks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tony Fields II, Devin Bush and Mohamoud Diabate.
Breakdown: Fields returned last week after missing most of camp due to injury, but Hicks missed most of the last three weeks. Rookie Nathaniel Watson was in the plans and might still make the team, but he missed the last two weeks of camp with an injury. It wouldn’t be surprising if the last linebacker spot and one of the last spots on the roster comes down to Watson versus Diabate. Bush feels like a near-lock because he’s a strong special teams player and more experienced than most of the rest of the group.
All we really know for sure is that Owusu-Koroamoah will rarely leave the field. Assuming he gets healthy, Hicks will be one of the primary defensive signal callers. Young players Caleb Johnson and Winston Reid could end up on the practice squad as special teams emergency options.
Defensive back
How many will make the roster? From 10 to 12 depending on health and special teams play. Cornerback Greg Newsome II is recovering from hamstring surgery, and though there’s optimism that Newsome will be ready for the season opener, it’s too early to know.
My best guesses: Denzel Ward, Newsome, Martin Emerson Jr., Grant Delpit, Juan Thornhill, Rodney McLeod Jr., Cameron Mitchell, Myles Harden, D’Anthony Bell, Ronnie Hickman, Kahlef Hailassie.
Breakdown: The last cornerback spot probably comes down to some combination of Justin Hardee versus Harden versus veteran Tony Brown II, who missed the last week of camp due to injury. Hickman was in and out of the lineup in camp due to injury, and fellow safety D’Anthony Bell missed all of camp with a shin injury. Bell’s status is unknown, and it would be surprising if the Browns risked losing Hickman on the waiver wire.
Hardee is really a special teams-only player (and has been to the Pro Bowl for his special teams play), but he has more than $600k of his 2024 salary guaranteed. Hardee left the preseason finale to get checked for a concussion, further complicating this projection — and making it possible Hardee could land on injured reserve. Mitchell and Hailassie are going to make the team, and the surprise addition of Hailassie in late August last year reinforces that the Browns believe there’s no such thing as too much depth at cornerback.
Specialists
How many will make the roster? Three. The Browns don’t have a return specialist on their current roster — and don’t really have much clarity regarding their return-game roles.
My best guesses: Assuming health, the locks are kicker Dustin Hopkins, punter Corey Bojorquez and long snapper Charley Hughlett. Hopkins played in the preseason finale after dealing with a minor injury. Hughlett did not play in the preseason.
Breakdown: Bojorquez boomed them in the preseason. Hopkins got a big extension in July and needs to stay healthy. Hughlett is really good at his job, and we’re waiting to see if Hines will be activated and become the top kickoff returner.
The count, taking into account the injury uncertainty
Offense: 23
Defense: 27
Special teams: 3
(Top photo of Jameis Winston: Joe Nicholson / USA Today)
