Cleveland Browns: Projecting the 53-Man Roster ahead of training camp

Projecting the Cleveland Browns 53-man roster before training camp starts and injuries begin to play a role and force changes.

The NFL Draft is over, free agency is mostly over, so aside from a handful of players unsigned and perhaps the supplemental draft, teams are mostly formed at this point and it’s a question of what they will look like when they’re ready to go on opening day. The Cleveland Browns currently sit at 90 players and might do some small changes around the edges, but this seems to be what they’re gonna have as they enter training camp, so it’s reasonable to project what the final roster will look like entering the season.

For as much as the Browns have added in terms of talent over the past two years and then with trades and free agency plus this year’s draft class, there are a number of unsettled spots. Few of them are for starting spots and most of them will be figuring out what the depth and special teams will look like.

What makes this year particularly interesting is how many other teams are watching the Browns and patiently waiting to see who they will release, because the Browns have players other teams want. Even with Rod Johnson, who can’t play dead, he was scooped up immediately on waivers. As the cuts get more difficult, the interest will only increase as teams try to better themselves with what the Browns can’t keep.

The cuts this year are difficult and there are the last few spots on the roster could go any number of different ways, so camp will be extremely competitive, which is good for the sake of improving the team. As sophomoric as the ‘earn your stripe’ nonsense the Browns are running this year is, the last few players on the roster will have certainly done their part.

So without further ado, your 2018 Cleveland Browns.

Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor, Baker Mayfield, Drew Stanton (3)

No surprises here, the Browns know who their three quarterbacks are for the season and Brogan Roback or maybe another quarterback that comes available will be stashed on the practice squad in case of an injury. This is easily the most talented room the Browns have had at quarterback in over a decade.

Running Back

Duke Johnson, Nick Chubb, Carlos Hyde, Dan Vitale (4)

The Browns have a really nice set of running backs here with two traditional feature back types in Nick Chubb and Carlos Hyde, then a playmaker that can line up anywhere like Duke Johnson. Dan Vitale is a talented fullback that is a nice option in the passing game.

Matthew Dayes is going to have a difficult time fighting off Montrell Hilliard, the undrafted rookie free agent from Tulane, who is a tremendous athlete. Both could be guys that end up on the practice squad, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if despite how technically sound Dayes is as a blocker and receiver that Hilliard outshines him in camp due to his ability to make explosive plays.

Wide Receiver

Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry, Corey Coleman, Antonio Callaway, Jeff Janis, Ricardo Louis (6)

The top guys here are pretty obvious and despite the speculation surrounding Corey Coleman, I cannot see the Browns looking at his talent and willingly giving up on it or trading it away for what would amount to nothing. Especially when Antonio Callaway, as talented as he may be, is just as unreliable, albeit for different reasons.

Both have a ton of ability and the Browns seem to be putting a ton of faith in new wide receivers coach Adam Henry (I’ve never seen a team talk about him the way the Browns have). When healthy, Coleman has showed flashes of what he can be. When available, Callaway should at least be the punt returner and someone who can catch screens and stretch the field deep.

Jeff Janis appears to be the special teams guy teams tend to keep at the end of the group that is on every coverage unit. Janis also has a ton of athleticism and size and while he hasn’t played up to it, if he can contribute on special teams, it makes it easier to keep him and see if the rest materializes.

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The last receiver spot is a competition between Hollywood Higgins, Ricardo Louis, a number of undrafted free agents, tight end options like Devon Cajuste and Julian Allen who can play in space and potential waiver claims when teams cut down their rosters. For all of the drops and issues Louis has had, his athletic ability is undeniable and he was always drafted to be a project. If he can put together a good camp, he is easily the player with the most upside and still just 24 years old.

Tight End

David Njoku, Seth DeVale, Darren Fells (3)

The three here are obvious, but as mentioned a moment ago, players like Allen and Cajuste look like players that are in the mix to potentially land a roster spot. Todd Haley likes to use tight ends and may want to ensure he’s got enough in case of an injury, so these players can’t be ruled out, but they are competing against the receivers.

Offensive Line

Shon Coleman, Joel Bitonio, J.C. Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, Chris Hubbard, Austin Corbett, Austin Reiter, Geoff Gray, Anthony Fabiano (9)

The Browns are pretty settled up front with the exception of the competition to determine who will play left tackle, so those six are pretty obvious. If Coleman beats out Corbett, that gives the Browns a valuable sixth man option that can play a few different spots, which opens up how they want to keep their depth.

Nevertheless, teams tend to want to keep three players on their roster that can play center if needed. Corbett might be one of those three, but Austin Reiter is a pretty decent pivot with worthwhile athletic traits. Anthony Fabiano can also snap in addition to playing both guard spots, which helps his case.

Geoff Gray is a bigger guard with athleticism the Browns grabbed when he was available from the Green Bay Packers and could be someone worth holding onto and developing. I think Spencer Drango might be someone the Browns attempt to trade at some point. His athletic traits don’t fit what the Browns seem to want while having starting experience at tackle so he might have some value to teams that are thin up front.

Defensive Line

Myles Garrett, Emmanuel Ogbah, Larry Ogunjobi, Chris Smith, Jamie Meder, Carl Nassib, Chad Thomas, Trevon Coley, Trenton Thompson (9)

After you get beyond the top three guys and Meder, the depth drops quickly and the competition heats up quite a bit. My lack of faith in Caleb Brantley surprises no one. I believe Trenton Thompson is simply more talented despite going undrafted. If he can stay out of trouble and on the field, he’s a player that can help this team.

Gregg Williams like long defensive ends, which is part of the reason they picked Chad Thomas, so that would give a nod to Carl Nassib, who needs to step it up in his third season but has some versatility.

Linebacker

Jamie Collins, Chris Kirksey, Joe Schobert, Mychal Kendricks, Genard Avery, James Burgess (6)

The linebacker group is pretty straight forward as the Browns return their three starters from last year, signed Mychal Kendricks, drafted Genard Avery and James Burgess contributed last year. There are other players with a chance such as B.J. Bello and Justin Currie, who the Browns both seem to like for their ability to contribute on special teams, but it’s difficult to bet against Burgess considering how much he played last year and Gregg’s obvious affinity for him.

Cornerback

Denzel Ward, Briean Boddy-Calhoun, T.J. Carrie, Terrance Mitchell, E.J. Gaines, Mike Jordan (6)

The injury to Howard Wilson made it a little clearer how this one is going to shake out, unless the Browns do something like add another corner in the supplemental draft. The only other seemingly viable option competing for a spot is Simeon Thomas, but given his age and off field issues, seems like an easy player to get to the practice squad. At that point, they can evaluate him and bring him back up if they need.

Meanwhile, it’s one of the better groups of corners the Browns have had from top to bottom in years. They have several players that can play both inside and outside and with Jordan, they have someone that can also provide depth at safety if needed.

Safety

Jabrill Peppers, Derrick Kindred, Damarious Randall, Derron Smith (4)

Jabrill Peppers and Damarious Randall are the projected starters with Derrick Kindred as package player in addition to backing up Peppers. The question is who the backup free safety will be and Derron Smith is a steady option with years in the NFL. He’s also in the last year of his deal, so they can easily move away from him if they like one of the rookie free agents like Elijah Campbell better.

Mike Jordan’s ability to provide depth at safety makes it so the Browns don’t need to keep a fifth safety unless there’s someone they really want to keep, giving them a total of ten defensive backs.

Next: NFL 2018: Ranking the 50 best pass rushers

Specialists

Zane Gonzalez, Justin Vogel, Charley Hughlett (3)

The only ‘surprise’ here is Justin Vogel beating out Britton Colquitt. Vogel was a surprise cut by the Packers, who had some really good seasons for them and the personnel people who knew from there didn’t hesitate to claim him. He’s younger, he’s cheaper and he’s more likely to be their guy in this thing, so he gets the edge. Cutting Colquitt would actually result in some dead money, but Vogel’s ability may be worth the $2.5 million the Browns would have to eat.

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