Browns: The 5 players Cleveland should cut come Tuesday

OG Cordel Iwuagwu

The Browns are only going to carry nine, maybe 10 offensive linemen each week. Guys like Cordel Iwuagwu are just not doing enough to warrant a spot on the squad. That’s the sad reality of the situation. In an ideal world, the Browns would have a minor-league team (The BattleHawks?) and the fans of the Browns and their minor league team (The BattleBrowns?) could root and cheer on all of these fine players and watch as they all make tons and tons of money.

Then, in that world, we’d just suggest that Iwuagwu go to the minor league and work on his game, see if there isn’t a spot for him in a year or two and call him up. That’s not the world we live in, unfortunately, and guys like Iwuagwu are just here to see if they can get a shot at the practice squad.

As an undrafted free agent, it’s just not likely that the Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski saw enough from him versus the Jaguars, or in practice, to warrant cutting someone else more established. Someone with more game tape, and with more inherent value.

Inherent value is going to cost some deserving guys a spot on this team. When you draft someone with a pick, you are more encouraged, internally or externally, to make that selection pay off. More than likely they won’t but it’s seen as bad optics to cut guys you drafted while prioritizing undrafted free agents.

A cut drafted player is seen as a wasted pick. A cut undrafted free agent is just par for the course.

The Browns will likely only carry four guards this year, and Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio aren’t going anywhere. Their backups will likely be Blake Hance and Michael Dunn, versatile guys who can also play tackle. That means that Drew Forbes, Colby Gossett, and Iwuagwu aren’t long for this team. It’s not that he or any of the other four players on this list are bad, it’s just that they didn’t do enough to prove they’re worth someone else’s job.