How Many of the 53 Spots on Browns Opening Day Roster Are Settled?
Having completed their minicamp, the Cleveland Browns are now on their summer break, a six-week respite before they start training camp at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Even as 90 players will be competing, short of catastrophic injury, 44 of the 53 opening day roster spots are already determined, leaving just nine spots plus the practice squad to be settled.
Here is the depth chart with how the 44 players locked in fit on the depth chart. Most of the players on it shouldn't come as any surprise. Neither should the position groups that still have questions to answer in training camp and through the preseason.
The Browns are likely looking to shore up four spots on offense and five spots on defense. The special teams units are locked up at this point. Cade York and Charley Hughlett don't even have competition in camp while Joseph Charlton could theoretically beat out Corey Bojorquez for the punting job, it would have to be by enough of a margin to eat $250,000 in dead money. It could happen, but Bojorquez is probably safe (and I don't feel like breaking down punters).
Here's the situation within the various position groups.
Quarterback
In order for the depth chart to change, Kellen Mond would have to be good enough to force the Browns to trade Joshua Dobbs. Dobbs is only making $2 million, but $1.5 million is guaranteed salary and $500,000 is a signing bonus. so they aren't cutting him. Far more likely is that Mond gets cut and there's a chance he could get through waivers allowing him to make the practice squad. Otherwise, Mond will be with another team this season.
Running Back
The Browns really like Jerome Ford, but they have to determine if they are satisfied with him in a scenario where Chubb goes down with injury. Whether for a game, a month or the year, if he were to suffer an injury, is an unproven Ford good enough to step in and carry the load?
No one else in that room has done anything in the NFL either. The Browns have a strong run blocking unit and the design of their offense as well as Watson's contributions in the running game can create running lanes for just about anyone and they've found some success in past years with undrafted options. Hassan Hall has a chance to prove if he can be the next Dontrell Hilliard or D'Ernest Johnson, but with options like Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott, the Browns could have an opportunity to bring in an excellent counterpart to Chubb.
Wide Receiver
Short of bringing in DeAndre Hopkins, which seems like a long shot, the Browns are pretty set with their top five. Beyond Amari Cooper, the next four guys on in various points within their rookie deals. It's cost efficient and there's no reason to chuck any of them.
Certainly it seems as though Marquise Goodwin is the leader in the clubhouse to be the sixth wide receiver. He has an obvious role within the offense and his contract would only cost the Browns $400,000 to cut or $250,000 to trade.
Nevertheless, players like Jaelon Darden and Anthony Schwartz, who would play a similar role are going to push him for the job. If they can beat him out, the Browns are going to keep them. Schwartz has added viability in that he can contribute on special teams. At this point, it's still Goodwin's job to lose.
There will be several players the Browns cut that end up contributing for other teams, but they should still end up with some decent options on the practice squad. A trade might not be out of the question at some point.
Tight End
The Browns have their stud in David Njoku and have a role player in Jordan Akins that has a rapport with Deshaun Watson and can play the F. With the restructuring of Harrison Bryant's contract, the Browns clearly want to see if Bryant can put it all together this season while protecting themselves in case he can't.
This eliminates any meaningful drama at the tight end position as the team isn't likely to carry four tight ends this year. They'll carry one or two on the practice squad for depth and certain matchups, but the Browns have not been afraid to utilize extra offensive linemen to play jumbo roles in the offense.
Zaire Mitchell-Paden and Thomas Greaney could both find their way to the practice squad.
Offensive Line
With the selections of Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler in the draft, any possible suspense at both tackle and center might be gone. Wypler's going to have to compete to make sure Nick Harris doesn't give the Browns pause, but the value of Wypler's rookie contract is likely going to make up the difference even if Harris is better right now.
Guard is where there could get interesting. Michael Dunn is likely the favorite to make the roster. He's played effectively as a backup for multiple seasons under offensive line coach Bill Callahan both at guard and center. The only reason he's not a lock at this point is his contract, which has no guaranteed money attached, which feels like theft given what he's done on the field.
It's possible the Browns might not prioritize another guard if they feel good enough about one of the other young linemen, but it does seem like their best way to balance out the roster.
A sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft, Drew Forbes has dominant physical traits and has flashed them in the preseason. He needs to find consistency in his play as well as his health to make the roster. Still, compared to the likes of free agent signing Wes Martin and last year's seventh-round pick Dawson Deaton, who is coming off a torn ACL, this will perhaps be the last best shot he will have to make the active roster with the Browns. It's a relatively open field for this final spot on the offensive line.
Defensive Line
The only question at defensive end is whether the Browns will keep five or six. If it's five, the Browns are done. Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith, Ogonnia Okoronkwo, Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire are their guys. If the Browns keep six, keep an eye on undrafted rookie Lonnie Phelps.
By contrast, defensive tackle is wide open. Nose is likely settled. Dalvin Tomlinson and Siaki Ika are their two. With the restructured contract of Jordan Elliott, he has experience at the one if they need him, which gives them a third nose.
Elliott is also the only three-tech that has a guaranteed spot at this point. Trysten Hill, Maurice Hurst II and Perrion Winfrey are competing for two spots, which could quickly become one if the Browns bring another veteran. That is likely a prudent course of action given that including Elliott, Hurst is still the player that has proven the most in the NFL and he has major injury questions.
Hill and Winfrey have had similar career paths to this point. Seemingly talented, but unreliable and inconsistent, they have a ton to prove to make the roster. Hill might have a clear path to the roster if he can be reliable since cutting him would cost the Browns $452,500. However, the approach the Browns took both with Hill and Hurst might suggest the organization views that simply as the cost of doing business to get the best front possible.
It could also be part of a plan to get Hill or Hurst on the practice squad in the event they have to cut them and they don't end up with another team. That could be valuable over the course of the season given the attrition in the NFL. There's a good chance they will need to elevate someone to the active roster at some point over the course of a long season.
Linebacker
The Browns are probably closer being settled on their linebackers for the season than this depth chart suggests. They could keep six linebackers, but unless they plan on only keeping nine offensive linemen, will probably only keep five, using the practice squad as a resource to fill out their depth and special teams as they have in previous seasons.
One of the questions facing the Browns is the schedule for Sione Takitaki relative to his recovery. He is hoping to be ready for the opener, but if that proves unrealistic, he could start the season on injured reserve through some roster gymnastics.
Meanwhile, the fifth linebacker is going to have to be a critical component on special teams. Currently, Jordan Kunaszyk stands out as the favorite for that role. He was effective on special teams last year, which is why the Browns re-signed him this offseason. He also has some experience at linebacker and has drawn praise from defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for his work ethic and linebackers coach Jason Tarver for his movement skills.
Matthew Adams, who will be competing with Kunaszyk, is another player that stands out on special teams that was signed in the offseason with bonus money attached. It would cost the Browns $452,000 to cut him, but he might be the player the Browns hope can somehow get to their practice squad and is activated on an almost weekly basis to play specials. Mohamoud Diabate and Charlie Thomas III also stand out as players that could be on the Browns practice squad.
Maybe there's a scenario where Jordan Phillips can beat out Tony Fields II for the backup WILL spot, but Phillips has suffered multiple season-ending injuries and is at the end of his rookie deal. Meanwhile, Fields was a major reason the Browns beat the Houston Texans last year. He wasn't a world beater in any other games, but he did make some meaningful contributions.
Schwartz's scheme might be a better fit for Phillips. He came out of LSU with excellent read and react skills, able to diagnose quickly, something that is important in Schwartz's defense. The defensive line is given more freedom, which can make linebacker reads unpredictable, so being able to process quickly and react on the move accordingly is valuable.
Corner
This another position where it's probably already settled. Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, Martin Emerson Jr., A.J. Green and Cameron Mitchell are going to make the team. The Browns will likely keep a sixth and the favorite there is Michael Ford Jr. because of his ability to contribute on special teams.
Ford also offers some slot experience, but he's someone who wants to beat up the opposing team's gunner. Chris Westry might have the best chance to beat him out, but it feels like Ford's job to lose.
Safety
After Juan Thornhill, Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod, it's wide open. The Browns have a number of young players in the building who will be competing for likely two spots. Hopefully, it's one of the better competitions in training camp this year as opposed to keeping guys by default.
D'Anthony Bell made the team last year on special teams. That's still going to be a major factor for him to win the job again this year. With the signing of McLeod, he's much further away from the field on defense than he was last year, but he does project as someone who could contribute in the slot.
The two rookies from Ohio State will also be competing for spots. Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCalister bring different skill sets to the position that could both be valuable. If Jim Schwartz wants to lean into playing with a safety in the box, that caters to Hickman's strengths. He is better playing forward when he can see the ball, scrape and make tackles.
McCalister is someone that has experience as a deep safety, both as the free and strong. He also might be someone who can find a tweener role not unlike M.J. Stewart did for the Browns a few seasons ago.
Bubba Bolden, like D'Anthony Bell, was carried over from last year, though Bolden spent the season on the team's practice squad.
There are two spots and the Browns could bring in someone else from waivers or a trade. Whoever fails to make the active 53 will likely be a priority for the practice squad.
