6 Browns on the Roster Bubble Heading Into Preseason Finale

4. Siaki Ika, Defensive Tackle

After what we’ve seen so far in the preseason, former Cleveland Browns third-round pick Siaki Ika is almost undoubtedly going to have to find his way in the NFL on another team’s practice squad. It looks like we’re about to reach the end of the line for him in Cleveland.

Normally, a third-round pick hitting waivers just over a year after being drafted would get automatically claimed by some other team, but Siaki Ika has really struggled badly so far in the NFL and just doesn’t look like he has what it takes to play at this level.

He might need to develop elsewhere at this point.

There was a lot to like about this selection for the Browns last year, especially because this team struggled in 2022 to stop the run. Ika was presumably going to come in and make an instant impact against the run and bring that big size into the mix for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. To say he’s been underwhelming would probably be an understatement.

At this stage, the selection of Siaki Ika is just looking like a pure whiff for Browns general manager Andrew Berry. He was getting buried into the ground by Vikings offensive linemen in the preseason game last weekend, and I’m not sure what he could realistically do in the final preseason game to actually make the roster.

Ika’s best shot of making the Cleveland Browns at this point is probably his NFL Draft status, which is likely what kept him around all of last year. Instead of using a 53-man roster spot on him this year, the Browns might actually be able to sneak him onto the practice squad. And frankly, there may not be any sneaking needed.