Browns: 4 players to keep and 4 players to cut after preseason ends

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Browns defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, right, works on pass rushing technique with Marvin Wilson on Monday, August 2, 2021 in Berea, Ohio, at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. [Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal]Browns 8 3 12 /

Keep #3 – DT Jordan Elliot

Jordan Elliot looked very solid all preseason. Not a world-beater, he’s not the next coming of Warren Sapp or Aaron Donald but Elliot showed some shiftiness on the defensive line. He showed he may be a problem for some folks, even if he isn’t registering 20 sacks a season.

Elliot had an awful rookie year, and while the preseason saw him largely facing off with guys who were second and third-teamers, Elliot was at least consistent in his outings with them.

In the preseason, Elliot had five tackles, two for a loss and a sack in limited time. that’s a solid stat line for anyone, let alone a second-year player looking for a huge bounce-back performance. He has to deal with the fact that he, Tommy Togiai, and Sheldon Day are competing with the likes of Malik McDowell to try and get playing time behind Malick Jackson and Andrew Billings.

All five guys have been competent at least in the preseason, but all five are far from locks to make the team. We have seen and heard that plan as of Week 1 of the preseason, was to have Billings, Jackson and Day as your first-team squad, with Day serving as a rotation guy, then who knows.

McDowell shook things up a bit but considering all of his personal troubles, and the fact he hasn’t played in four years, it would be hard press cutting someone like Elliot in favor of someone so wildly and radically unpredictable.

Consistency isn’t just an on-field evaluation.

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