5 potential players who could be surprisingly cut by the Cleveland Browns
By Chad Porto
These are five players who could be surprise cuts by the Cleveland Browns.
Every year in the NFL there are always a few players that get cut that no one saw coming. It’s an unfortunate reality with the NFL and how things are structured. If someone with a large-cap figure can be taken off the books, the team will do just that. Especially if there’s an injury at a key position, and that player is keeping the team from signing a replacement. It happens a lot.
The Browns cut Joe Haden in 2017 weeks before the regular season started. The Jaguars cut future-Super Bowl-winning running back Leonard Fournette in 2020. Cam Newton signed a new deal with the Patriots and was cut before the end of the preseason of 2021.
It’s hard to predict why a team cuts a player but there are a few reasons to always look out for.
- Does the team have a better option on the roster than said player?
- Is there a younger option behind them that the team would rather try out?
- Do they fit the scheme?
- Does the team need salary cap space?
- Will he be a distraction on the team if he remains?
If there’s a player that meets one of those criteria, he may be on the chopping block. The more criteria he checks off, the more likely that player will be gone from the team.
Now, these aren’t guaranteed. It’s very likely that the players who are cut from the team come this preseason are likely to be the obvious fare; your Nick Guggemos’, Curtis Weaver’s, JaMarcus Bradley types.
Yet, these are five names that could be surprising cuts for one reason or another. Especially if a trade can’t be reached.