Cleveland Browns 53-man roster projection: Final guesses on Myles Harden, Jamari Thrash

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Cleveland Browns 53-man roster projection: Final guesses on Myles Harden, Jamari Thrash

Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal · Akron Beacon Journal

Mon, Aug 26, 2024 ·

5 min read

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SEATTLE — There's nothing else for the current members of the Cleveland Browns ' 90-man roster to do to make their case to stay. The final chance came Saturday night in the preseason finale at the Seattle Seahawks .

All that's left to do is wait and see what decisions are made between now and 4 p.m. Tuesday . That's when general manager Andrew Berry, coach Kevin Stefanski and the rest of the Browns decision-makers have to make the hard calls that get the roster down to the initial 53-man limit.

There may still be moves made between now and then to actually add players to the roster. A year ago, the Browns added both running back Pierre Strong Jr. and kicker Dustin Hopkins in the time between their preseason finale and the deadline .

This projection is going to operate based upon who is on the roster at the time of publication. It's also understands the number of injuries the Browns have to major players who are definite locks to make the roster when healthy.

Anyway, here's the last, best guess at what the Browns' initial 53-man roster will look like Tuesday afternoon.

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Browns 53-man roster projection

Quarterbacks (3)

IN: Deshaun Watson , Jameis Winston , Dorian Thompson-Robinson
OUT: Tyler Huntley

Barring the Browns having their socks knocked off by a trade offer for Thompson-Robinson, nothing's changed since the spring here. Huntley's previous starting experience with the Baltimore Ravens could make him worth flipping to a QB-needy team.

Running backs (4)

IN: Jerome Ford , Pierre Strong Jr. , D'Onta Foreman, Nyheim Hines
INJURED LIST OF SOME SORT: Nick Chubb
OUT: Aidan Robbins , Jacob Saylors

This is just pure projection and guessing how this position gets sorted out. Have they just been extra cautious bringing Hines back, fully expecting him to be good to go in September? How does Strong's rib contusion suffered last week play into this? What do they do officially with Chubb as they wait for him to be ready to do football drills again? Are we just missing some late addition to this room just because of all the injuries?

Wide receivers (6)

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) runs with the ball after a catch against the Minnesota Vikings on Aug. 17 in Cleveland.

IN: Amari Cooper , Jerry Jeudy , Elijah Moore , Cedric Tillman , Jamari Thrash , David Bell
OUT: James Proche II, Jaelon Darden , Ahmarean Brown , Michael Woods II

Nothing's changed here over the last week. There are four definitive selections, and Bell feels very safe even though he had a quad injury that sidelined him the last couple of weeks. Thrash continues to show he can do what the Browns need from that sixth wide receiver, both on offense and on special teams.

Tight ends (3)

IN: David Njoku , Jordan Akins , Zaire Mitchell-Paden
OUT: Treyton Welch

Welch is simply the odd man out with this group. Nothing else really needs to be said.

Offensive linemen (10)

Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) walks the sideline before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 22, 2022, in Cleveland.

IN: Ethan Pocic , Nick Harris , Joel Bitonio , Wyatt Teller , Michael Dunn, Zak Zinter , Dawand Jones , Jedrick Wills Jr. , Jack Conklin , James Hudson III
OUT: Germain Ifedi , Chim Okorafor, Javion Cohen , Wyatt Davis , Zack Johnson , Lorenzo Thompson, Roy Mbaeteka

Here's a wild guess: Both Wills and Conklin make the initial 53. The guess is, much like some other prominent injured players elsewhere, the Browns believe they will be ready for the season opener Sept. 8. This is also a prime spot for someone not currently on the roster to be added.

Defensive linemen (9)

IN: Myles Garrett , Za'Darius Smith, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Alex Wright , Dalvin Tomlinson , Maurice Hurst II, Quinton Jefferson , Mike Hall Jr., Shelby Harris
OUT: Isaiah Thomas , Isaiah McGuire , Sam Kamara , Jeremiah Martin , Jowon Briggs , Siaki Ika

It appears Hall's off-the-field issues won't cost him a spot on the roster, barring anything from the NFL via a personal conduct policy punishment. Strictly from an on-field perspective, the second-round pick would be no worry to make the defensive tackle rotation. Nothing about the injuries at this position group indicates long-term concern, even Tomlinson and Hurst.

Linebackers (5)

Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush (30) and Cleveland Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) celebrate a stop against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 10 in Cleveland. — Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush (30) and Cleveland Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) celebrate a stop against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFL preseason football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.

IN: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah , Jordan Hicks , Tony Fields II , Devin Bush , Mohamoud Diabate
OUT: Nathaniel Watson , Landon Honeycutt, Caleb Johnson , Winston Reid , Marvin Moody

Injuries have crippled this group throughout camp. Hicks basically hasn't practiced since the Browns came back to Berea in early August. Fields just came back. Both, though, are viewed as key pieces. Diabate may edge out Watson just because of being able to play more snaps during the preseason.

Defensive backs (10)

IN: Denzel Ward , Greg Newsome II, Martin Emerson Jr., Cameron Mitchell, Kahlef Hailassie , Myles Harden , Grant Delpit , Juan Thornhill , Rodney McLeod , Ronnie Hickman
INJURY LIST/PUP:D'Anthony Bell
OUT: Justin Hardee Sr., Tony Brown II, Faion Hicks , Chris Edmonds , Chase Williams, Tyler Coyle

This remains one of the toughest groups to figure out because there are a couple of critical players who have been out all camp (Newsome, Bell), while another one (Ward) has been in concussion protocol lately and others (Harden, Hailassie) who have been so good in camp it's hard to imagine them getting cut. The guess is they try to keep Bell on injury/PUP. Hardee and Brown, though, may end up on the wrong end of a couple of younger players just having better camps.

Specialists (3)

IN: Dustin Hopkins , Corey Bojorquez , Charley Hughlett
OUT: Lucas Havrisik , Rex Sunahara

Injuries classified as "minor" by Stefanski sidelined Hopkins and Hughlett through the preseason. However, nothing has indicated they will prevent either from answering the bell for the regular season.

More Cleveland Browns news

∙ Cade York traded to Washington Commanders

∙ Cleveland Browns training camp takeaways

∙ Cleveland Browns training camp standouts

∙ Joel Bitonio on Cleveland Browns left tackles

∙ Tyler Huntley on picking Cleveland Browns in free agency

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns roster prediction: Final projection for Devin Bush, 53-man team

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