The NFL preseason is officially in the rear view mirror, with final rosters being announced for teams around the league. The Cleveland Browns released their 53 man roster ahead of the beginning of the regular season on Tuesday, which included some decisions that some did not see coming. Here is Cleveland’s roster heading into week one in Kansas City.
Quarterbacks:
Baker Mayfield,
Case Keenum
Running Backs:
Nick Chubb,
Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, Demetric Felton
Fullbacks:
Andy Janovich
Tight Ends:
Austin Hooper,
David Njoku,
Harrison Bryant
Wide Receivers:
Odell Beckham
Jr,
Jarvis Landry,
Donovan Peoples-Jones,
Rashard Higgins, Anthony Schwartz
Offensive Linemen:
Jedrick Wills
Jr,
Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter,
Wyatt Teller,
Jack Conklin, James Hudson III,
Michael Dunn,
Nick Harris, Blake Hance,
Chris Hubbard
Defensive Linemen:
Myles Garrett,
Malik Jackson,
Andrew Billings,
Jadeveon Clowney,
Takkarist McKinley, Jordan Elliot, Malik McDowell, Tommy Togai
Linebackers:
Mack Wilson,
Anthony Walker,
Sione Takitaki,
Malcolm Smith,
Jacob Phillips, Tony Fields II, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Defensive Backs:
Denzel Ward,
Greedy Williams,
Ronnie Harrison
Jr,
John Johnson
III,
Troy Hill, Greg Newsome, MJ Stewart, Grant Delpit, AJ Green, Richard LeCounte III
Specialists:
Jamie Gillan,
Chase McLaughlin,
Charley Hughlett
There were several surprises inside of Cleveland’s final roster. Firstly, the Browns decided to not carry a third quarterback on the roster, despite Kyle Lauletta’s success in the preseason. In response, Cleveland agreed to a practice squad contract with former San Francisco quarterback Nick Mullens. Mullens has some starting experience with the 49ers and should provide Cleveland with depth at the position in an emergency situation.
Another surprise came at the wide receiver position. Khadarel Hodge received his release from the Browns after signing with the team in 2019. Hodge at first was a special teams ace for Cleveland, but soon showcased his steady hands in a reserve role, earning the respect of Browns fans across the world. This is why it was a bit of a surprise to see Hodge’s name amongst the the final cuts. Cleveland would have loved to be able to retain Hodge to the practice squad, but the Lions claimed the wideout on waivers shortly after being released.
Hodge’s release however does demonstrate the depth at the wide receiver position. The Browns feel very confident in the abilities of Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Anthony Schwartz should receive some play calling attention with his game breaking speed. Fellow wideouts JoJo Nation and Jamarcus Bradley were signed to the practice squad after clearing waivers for some extra insurance. Natson spent the season on IR last year after getting hurt in the preseason, while Bradley was forced to fill in during the infamous Jets game from last season for the Browns. Out of the two, Natson would most likely get the call first due to his abilities on special teams.
One final surprise was Malik McDowell’s performance and subsequent making of the team over Sheldon Day. Day spent time with the starters in camp, but McDowell caught the eyes of Cleveland coaches with his physical prowess. McDowell could very well play himself into a meaningful rotation spot on the defensive line if he can progress as the seasons goes on.
The Browns 53 | 2 Minute Drill
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