Predicting the Browns 53 man roster ahead of the final week of cuts

Special Teams, Practice Squads, Reserved Injured List, and Released Players

Special Teams:

(K) Chase McLaughlin, (P) Jamie Gillan, (LS) Charley Hughlett
Reason: Cody Parkey was placed on IR but released anyway due to the short window of his injury.

Now that we’ve made all of our cuts, who gets to be on the practice squad?

Practice Team (11 of 12):

1. QB Kyle Lauletta
2. RB D’Ernest Johnson
3. WR JoJo Natson
4. TE Jordan Franks
5. OT Drew Forbes
6. C Javon Patterson
7. DE Joe Jackson
8. DT Damion Square
9. LB Elijah Lee
10. CB Kiondre Thomas,
11. S Elijah Benton.
12.  – OPEN –

Reason: The Browns would be wise to keep a player at every position. That’s exactly how this practice squad roster shakes out. Now, this will likely not look anything like the Browns’ actual practice squad, as some of these guys may get snatched up and the Browns may their eyes on other players. So this is more of a “projected practice squad” based on just Browns players.

We’re also keeping a spot open as the Browns will likely look at add someone from another team to the squad regardless of where the rest of the practice squad comes from.

Reserved Injured List:

TE Stephen Carlson, TE Connor Davis, WR Ryan Switzer, LB Montrel Meander, LB Jacob Phillips, RB Tre Harbison

Reason: The reason is pretty obvious; they’re hurt and the Browns want to keep them. Now, Phillips has not been placed on the list as of Aug. 26, 2021. If he gets placed on this list to get to 53 players, the Browns won’t be able to recall him all year. Same with every other player on this list. If the Browns wait to place him on the IR until after the final cuts, then the Browns believe he’ll be able to come back this year. We’re jumping the gun and declaring a torn bicep tendon isn’t the most likely thing to return from in four months.

Released Players

OFF: RB Trae Harbison, RB John Kelly, WR Derrick Willies, WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, WR Alexander Hollins, WR Davion Davis, TE Kyle Makraway, OL Chris Hubbard, OT Greg Senat, OT Alex Taylor,  OG Colby Gossett, OG Cordel Iwuagwu

Reasons: Most of these are obvious and don’t need an explanation, but Greg Senat, Alex Taylor, and Colby Gossett have potential. Senat is too inconsistent, Taylor lacks mobility and Gossett makes too many mental mistakes. Hubbards ends up on the list because it’s more likely he gets cut than James Hudson. Blake Hance/Michael Dunn has proven to be every bit as good as Hubbard as well, and cheaper.

DEF: DE Curtis Weaver, DE Romeo McKnight, DT Marvin Wilson  DT Malik McDowell, LB Tegray Scales, LB Malcolm Smith, LB Willie Harvey Jr.,  CB Emmanuel Rugamba, CB Robert Jackson, CB Brian Allen, S Jovante Moffatt, S Sheldrick Redwine

Reasons: Same here as above, a lot of obvious cuts. Yet the reason Weaver and Wilson are getting cut needs to be pointed out; they are not good enough to take someone else’s job. This isn’t baseball where you can stash 30 players and hope they get better. Everyone, from the starting quarterback to the last man on the practice squad needs to be able to play well right off the bat. Weaver and Wilson have not played well all preseason and there’s no reason to think that’s going to suddenly change now.

As for McDowell, he may be “impressing coaches” at the moment but he’s had umpteen chances in the NFL, and carrying him just brings with it a risk that’s much too big to warrant. McDowell isn’t talented enough to carry this much baggage and expect a spot.