Browns Keeping 7 Wide Receivers Impractical

Increasingly, there are suggestions that the Cleveland Browns should keep seven wide receivers on their active roster. While it's theoretically possible the Browns could keep that many on cut down day, it's difficult to envision a scenario where the team keeps seven wide receivers when the dust settles ahead of week one.

Unless the Browns plan to trade Joshua Dobbs, they are likely keeping three quarterbacks which really limits the team's roster flexibility. As impressive as Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been, he's a rookie playing against backups and Dobbs has been competent in games that matter.

Further, Dobbs has value beyond his ability to simply play in the event that Deshaun Watson were to be injured. He's smart and he's seen plenty in his NFL career. That has value in the quarterback room as well as the field. Dobbs can act as an extra set of eyes as well as a sounding board during the game.

If a team comes calling and offers something for Dobbs, maybe that changes the equation, but it would not be a surprise for the Browns to keep Dobbs until the trade deadline as they evaluate DTR as the scout team quarterback against the starting defense to get a true evaluation of where he is.

The Browns are already likely to only keep three running backs and three tight ends, so there's no extra space to be created there, so the only other place to create a roster spot on offense is offensive line.

There isn't a scenario where the Browns would-be seventh wide receiver is worth more than a competent offensive lineman. Given how many teams are struggling to find five effective linemen, the Browns are one of a choice few that can put together a decent second unit. It's a an advantage they shouldn't concede.

When the Browns made the playoffs in 2020, they had to juggle their offensive line consistently throughout the season. Chris Hubbard was invaluable playing three different spots before he went down for the year and then rookie Nick Harris had to play two games at guard.

Injuries played a role in each of the past two seasons as well up front. If the Browns feel they have 10 competent offensive linemen, they should keep all 10.

And before anyone asks, the defense needs all 25 spots it has. 10 defensive linemen, 5 linebackers and 10 defensive backs.

One of the players that has become a focus for the potential seventh wide receiver spot is Jakeem Grant Sr. due to his value on his special teams. After rupturing his Achilles' last year, Grant has worked tireless on his rehab and looks to be close to 100 percent if he's not there already.

Is Grant better enough at both punt return than Donovan Peoples-Jones and better enough at kick return than Jerome Ford to justify a roster spot? Unlikely.

The other reason the Browns signed Grant was as a weapon on offense. However, the Browns went out and acquired Elijah Moore in the offseason, who seems to be doing everything Grant would have done and then some. Maybe Grant can be depth for some of what Moore does.

Does his value as depth on offense and his contributions to special teams add up to a roster spot? Maybe?

Is it worth more than a competent offensive lineman? Probably not.

It's unlikely, but not impossible that Grant could be available to the Browns on the practice squad.

Even if Marquise Goodwin was miraculously cleared from his issue with blood clots (fingers crossed) in time for the start of the season, it's still difficult to see the Browns keeping a seventh receiver.

That would likely mean trading or releasing Austin Watkins Jr., the receiver that was signed when Goodwin was placed on the active/non-football Illness list. Watkins has been a preseason star, possesses an NFL body and has been able to get open and make tremendous plays since signing with the team. But to this point, he's only playing X. Amari Cooper is the starting X and Watkins has had to wait in preseason games for the Browns to take out rookie Cedric Tillman before he can enter the game.

It's at least debatable if Watkins makes the team as the sixth receiver as a third X. It's difficult to imagine a scenario where they feel compelled to keep him as a seventh receiver. Maybe they have plans to have Watkins expand his usage or simply would move other players around to facilitate him being on the field in case of injury.

The Browns clearly have more than six wide receivers that are good enough to be on an NFL roster, but the reality is they aren't going to be able to keep them all. If not for injuries, Michael Woods II and Daylen Baldwin might be two more players that could've been in the mix for a spot and Baldwin still could end up back with the Browns before all is said and done.