The Cleveland Browns are in their most important evaluation week of the preseason with the Minnesota Vikings set to visit for two controlled practices. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski plans to give his available starters the most reps they’ve logged this summer in those sessions, then play backups in Saturday’s preseason game.
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Continuity was the offseason theme for an established and talented Browns team, and that’s only changed over the last week thanks to a rash of mostly minor injuries that have shaken up the team’s rotations. Guessing the shape of the roster is complicated for this team because it’s long felt like few spots — maybe five or six at most — were unsettled.
Two weeks from final cuts, a look at the pivotal roster battles and looming decisions have been complicated by that injury uncertainty — both new injuries and some lingering ones. The passing game is off to a disjointed start, and three veteran running backs are dealing with ailments of varying degrees.
What’s below are my best guesses for the initial 53-man roster. Now that teams carry 16-man practice squads and can activate players each week for emergency and/or special teams purposes, I think most teams view the roster differently than before. But the cut to 53 on Aug. 27 means they must explore minor trades or expose promising players to the waiver wire. Even with injuries, I think the Browns have quality depth at some positions that extend beyond usual roster management numbers.
With two weeks and two preseason games remaining, here’s how I view Cleveland’s path from the offseason roster size of 90 to 53.
Quarterback
How many will make the roster? Almost certainly three, though there’s a small chance the Browns would keep two and try to sneak a third to the practice squad.
My best guesses: Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Breakdown: It’s Thompson-Robinson versus Tyler Huntley for the No. 3 job, and for now I give the edge to Thompson-Robinson because he’s been the better thrower in camp and is under a rookie contract through 2026. There’s a chance the Browns could trade one of them. There’s even a small chance Huntley will make the team and have some sort of designated quarterback sneak role early in the season with the Browns wanting to protect Watson’s shoulder. There are probably a lot of teams that would consider both Huntley and Thompson-Robinson an upgrade to their current rooms, so stay tuned.
DTR HURDLE FOR THE 1ST DOWN 😱#GBvsCLE on @WEWS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/TWhl6YhsGQ
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 10, 2024
Running back
How many will make the roster? Three or four, and probably the latter because of injury uncertainty and because Pierre Strong Jr. is one of the Browns’ best all-around special teams players.
My best guesses: Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr. and D’Onta Foreman. I believe Nyheim Hines will make the active roster if he’s healthy (and his contract says he will), but for now he remains on the non-football injury list.
Breakdown: My early guess has Nick Chubb starting the season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he wouldn’t be part of the initial 53-man roster and would miss at least four games. Foreman suffered a scary injury at the Greenbrier but is slated to return to practice this week. Hines could return at any time, too, as he’s recovering from a torn ACL. Ford has been first in every line. Foreman — if healthy — projects as the short-yardage back until Chubb returns, but there’s little clarity right now. I think undrafted rookie power back Aidan Robbins is on his way to earning a place on the practice squad.
Wide receiver
How many will make the roster? Probably five, but anywhere from four to six could make the initial 53 ahead of the standard roster gymnastics that take place in late August. I never thought the Browns would actually trade for Brandon Aiyuk. But as long as that door remains cracked, I believe Cleveland will continue to lurk.
My best guesses: Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore and a player not currently on the roster.
Breakdown: It’s likely David Bell versus Michael Woods II for the last spot barring an injury or trade. But Bell is dealing with a quad injury that will sideline him for the rest of the preseason. Even if he was healthy I think the Browns need to make an addition, and I project that they will. As we saw on Saturday, the Green Bay Packers have players such as Malik Heath and Grant DuBose on the bubble and trying to make their roster. Both Heath and DuBose would be upgrades for Cleveland, and the Packers aren’t the only team with a loaded receiving corps at this point.
I’m guessing rookie Jamari Thrash will start on the practice squad, and players such as Matt Landers and Jaelon Darden are also practice squad candidates. Darden and James Proche II are in the mix for return jobs but probably not at the top of the list.
the snag was crazyyy @jamesproche3 👀 pic.twitter.com/7ae5kaI2Nr
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 12, 2024
Tight end
How many will make the roster? Three.
My best guesses: David Njoku, Jordan Akins and Giovanni Ricci.
Breakdown: Njoku is having another strong camp and might end up leading the team in targets. He’s the clear No. 1, and Akins is probably slated to play the standard dirty-work role as a traditional backup tight end. Ricci is mostly a special teams player who can line up at fullback and tight end when necessary. He’s a candidate to be cut and eventually return if the Browns need a temporary roster spot.
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Offensive line
How many will make the roster? Somewhere between eight to 10 depending on whether Jack Conklin starts the season on the active roster. Conklin (knee) is not yet practicing and remains eligible to start the season on PUP.
My best guesses: Right now, we’ll leave Conklin out with that asterisk. So, projected in are Jedrick Wills Jr. (also still not practicing due to a knee injury), Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Dawand Jones, Zak Zinter, Nick Harris, James Hudson III and Michael Dunn. It might come down to Hudson versus Germain Ifedi for the final tackle spot.
Breakdown: The Browns have six starters if Conklin is healthy, and they have a new backup center with Harris returning. Luke Wypler suffered a broken ankle in the preseason opener, and Cleveland traded to re-acquire Harris the next day.
Dunn was out last week due to an undisclosed injury, but he’s expected back soon. He will likely make the team if healthy. Last year the Browns released him on the day of final roster cuts and then brought him back via the practice squad on an amended contract once they sorted through some other roster issues. Ifedi, who played guard in the spring, has been lining up at tackle this summer and got a few reps with the first offense at left tackle on Monday. The Browns added Ifedi and Hakeem Adeniji because they knew they’d have an offseason tackle shortage. There are no guarantees in the contracts for either Adeniji or Ifedi. Undrafted rookie Javion Cohen started the preseason opener at left guard and is also in the mix.
The Browns need to get Wills back on the field and back to full health or a situation that’s been fluid could quickly become uncomfortable.
Defensive line
How many will make the roster? Probably 10 because of the depth that’s been built and because defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz understandably carries a lot of influence in the building.
My best guesses: Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, Alex Wright, Mike Hall Jr., Maurice Hurst II and Isaiah McGuire.
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Breakdown: That list of projections leaves recently drafted defensive tackles Siaki Ika and Jowon Briggs out. The Browns selected Briggs in the seventh round ahead of multiple teams that otherwise would have added him, so it’s unclear if they could get Briggs through to the practice squad. I don’t think McGuire is a lock, either, and the Browns might be scanning other rosters for extra help on the edge. Sam Kamara is having a strong camp and will likely land on the practice squad.
The Browns return most of this group and are counting on Jefferson to make a good pass rush even better. The top of this group is really good, but Tomlinson, Smith and Harris are all currently dealing with injuries.
GO DEEPERBrowns stock report: Who's up, who's down following preseason loss to Packers?Linebacker
How many will make the roster? Anywhere from four to six. The Browns will likely keep multiple linebackers on the practice squad for purposes of development and game day call-ups for special teams duty.
My best guesses: Jordan Hicks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tony Fields II, Devin Bush and Nathaniel Watson.
Breakdown: Mohamoud Diabate can make the team — and he might — but for this projection, he’s one of the first off. The linebacker position has been hit hard by injury this summer, which makes this guess even tougher at this stage. Hicks and Owusu-Koramoah are the only locks, but when healthy Fields projects as both a rotational linebacker and a core special teams player. Hicks is out at least another week with an undisclosed injury, which may move Diabate closer to making the team and Bush closer to being a lock.
The young players would be wise to take advantage of the opportunities that lie directly ahead in the joint practices with the Vikings. Keep an eye on undrafted linebacker Winston Reid, who got the call-up to some of the first special teams units in the preseason opener.
Defensive back
How many will make the roster? From 10 to 12 depending on health and special teams play. Cornerback Greg Newsome II is recovering from hamstring surgery, and though it’s a positive sign for Newsome’s eventual availability that he’s been seen jogging on the side at practice, he’s not expected to take part in training camp. The Browns have the option of keeping Newsome on the non-football injury list to start the season, if necessary, but we’ll project him as available for the opener.
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My best guesses: Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, Martin Emerson Jr., Grant Delpit, Juan Thornhill, Rodney McLeod, Cameron Mitchell, Myles Harden, D’Anthony Bell, Ronnie Hickman, Kahlef Hailassie, Justin Hardee Sr.
Breakdown: D’Anthony Bell has yet to practice due to a shin injury, and Hickman has dealt with two minor injuries but said after the preseason opener that he expects to be OK. It might come down to either Bell or Hickman on the initial roster, though that remains to be seen.
It also might come down to either Harden or veteran cornerback Tony Brown II for the emergency slot and special teams role. Hardee is really a special teams-only player, but he has more than $600k of his 2024 salary guaranteed.
The Browns like Hailassie, and though he struggled in the preseason opener, the team likely views him as insurance right now and a prospect worth further development. Treating cornerback as a premium position has served the Browns well.
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Specialists
How many will make the roster? Three is the general bet. It’s hard to imagine the team keeping a player who only returns kicks, but it probably will keep Hardee just to cover kicks. To keep things in line here, we’ll count only the kicker, punter and long snapper.
My best guesses: Assuming health, the locks are kicker Dustin Hopkins, punter Corey Bojorquez and long snapper Charley Hughlett.
Breakdown: The Browns are using this summer to help try to re-launch the career of kicker Cade York and keep Hopkins fresh. Hopkins, 33, signed a three-year extension in July. We’ll see in a few weeks if the Browns keep York on the practice squad or are able to use him as a trade piece.
There’s no early verdict in the battles to win the team’s return jobs. It will be stunning if Strong isn’t a core special-teamer and at least in the kickoff return mix, but we’re awaiting Hines’ debut and potential outside additions. Some believe the new kickoff rules mark a drastic enough change that some teams will re-shape the bottom of their initial rosters, but we haven’t seen enough from the Browns to know for sure.
The count, taking into account the current uncertainty at running back and across the offensive line:
Offense: 23
Defense: 27
Special teams: 3
(Photo of Tyler Huntley and Dorian Thompson-Robinson: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
Zac Jackson is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Cleveland Browns. He is also the host of the "A to Z" podcast alongside Andre Knott. Previously, Zac covered the Browns for Fox Sports Ohio and worked for Pro Football Talk. Follow Zac on Twitter @AkronJackson
