Quick Thoughts about the Browns Current Roster and Cutdown
The training camp cut down is in full effect and just like every year some fan favorites are getting cut. Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry has a few hours to finalize final 53-man roster. All thirty-two NFL franchises are trimming down their rosters and numerous players will become available to sign with other teams. Berry already has difficult decisions to make about cutting down his own roster but today in particular is about holding onto your core players and improving the backend of the roster.
Based on the recent news of which Browns players have been notified of their release, some big names include: RB Dontrell Hilliard, DE Chad Thomas, CB Donovan Olumba, CB A.J. Green, WR Damion Ratley and QB Garrett Gilbert. Of these cuts some players that come as a surprise include Ratley, Thomas and Olumba. Looking at Dontrell Hilliard it was likely that D’Ernest Johnson beat him out for the 3 running back role. Johnson had a better training camp and just showed more consistency running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield. Hilliard’s release also creates questions of how the kickoff return and punt return units will shake out.
Addressing other players that come as a mild surprise are A.J. Green and Garrett Gilbert. Both of these players are strong candidates for the practice squad if they clear waivers. Green signed this offseason as an undrafted free agent and will likely be back unless another franchise offers him a spot on their 53-man roster. Green is a younger player the front office likes but this initial cut down is about protecting certain position groups until they see what players are released. Depending how they view Green’s skillset against their current DB room, Andrew Berry could go as far as making Green a protected player on the practice squad.
Garrett Gilbert on the other hand is a cut that makes a ton of sense. The Browns will still need three quarterbacks on their roster but it doesn’t make much sense for that third quarterback to take up a roster when it could be used for a special team’s contributor on game day. Gilbert will still need to clear waivers in order to remain with the Browns but he will likely be back and added to the practice squad potentially even as a protected player.
Switching back to the defensive side of the ball the two big surprise cuts thus far include Chad Thomas and Donovan Olumba. Thomas a third-round pick by former GM John Dorsey was the odd man out and was waived for the likes of veteran Adrian Clayborn and the more athletic Porter Gustin. Thomas never really met the expectations of a third round pick even with increased snaps due to the injury of Olivier Vernon and Myles Garrett’s suspension last season. He’s a player that can set the edge well in the run game and likely lands with another squad. Some critics blame his passion for music for his limited development on the football field, but which ever career path he chooses I’m sure he will be happy.
Now the release of Donovan Olumba is the most shocking because the strong training camp he was having. Olumba was shown playing well in coverage against the likes of both Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry. The decision by Andrew Berry may as well have been a numbers game as the roster currently has plenty of outside cornerbacks. The secondary currently does not have a sure fire answer at Nickelback with injuries to Kevin Johnson and M.J. Stewart. Once the coaching staff has a definite answer to who plays NB week one, then we can have an idea if Olumba returns on the 53-man roster.
Olumba could be a player that lands on the practice squad if he is not claimed by another team along with A.J. Green. They’re both long rangy corners best suited to play outside the numbers. A transaction that could benefit Olumba is Berry trading veteran Terrance Mitchell for a draft pick to a CB-needy team. Mitchell is a savvy and feisty corner that can contribute to a lot of NFL rosters especially teams in win now mode. In this trade scenario, Olumba could move to the 53-man roster and fill the void left by Mitchell.
A final thought about the current status of the Browns roster is that John Dorsey’s draft selections were likely overrated in the moment. Dorsey came in after two years of franchise inept with talent and only three players remain on the active roster from the 2018 NFL Draft. Including the release of WR Damion Ratley and Chad Thomas only Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb remain. Six of the nine players drafted that year no longer remain on the team, not to mention Austin Corbett drafted at the top of the second round was an absolute bust.
Dorsey was praised for his uncanny ability to add talent to the roster via free agency but the jury is still out his draft day choices. Thus on the flipside Andrew Berry’s first draft is looking well with mid-round picks Jordan Elliot, Jacob Phillips and Harrison Bryant all performing well in training camp. There is still some worry about rookie offensive linemen Jedrick Wills and Nick Harris but if they are to start week one, Bill Callahan and company should have them ready for the Ravens tough front seven. There will be constant churning off the back end of the roster through the weekend but it’s looking positive for the Cleveland Browns and there final 53-man roster.
