Cleveland Browns 53-Man Roster Projection (Final Version)

by Chris Pokorny on Sep 2, 2011 10:00 PM EDT

Roster cuts are due Saturday, so it is time to officially predict what you think the final 53-man roster will be. After the final roster is announced, we'll see which DBN member came closest to correctly projecting the roster. After the jump is my fourth and final roster projection; my previous one was posted back on Tuesday, prior to the final preseason game.

Pos	Final Roster	Players Cut
QB	Colt McCoy Seneca Wallace	Jarrett Brown* ~~Troy Weatherhead~~
RB	Peyton Hillis Montario Hardesty Brandon Jackson Armond Smith	Quinn Porter*
FB	Owen Marecic	Tyler Clutts*
WR	Mohamed Massaquoi Brian Robiskie Greg Little Joshua Cribbs Jordan Norwood Carlton Mitchell	Demetrius Williams L.J. Castile* Chris Matthews Rod Windsor ~~Johnathan Haggerty~~ ~~Juan Nunez~~
TE	Ben Watson Evan Moore Jordan Cameron Alex Smith	Evan Frosch
OL	Joe Thomas Alex Mack Shawn Lauvao Tony Pashos John Greco Jason Pinkston Branndon Braxton Steve Vallos Pat Murray	Oniel Cousins Phil Trautwein Dominic Alford Calton Ford Jarrod Shaw
DL	Ahtyba Rubin Phil Taylor Jabaal Sheard Jayme Mitchell Marcus Benard Brian Schaefering Derreck Robinson Auston English	Travis Ivey Brian Sanford Ko Quaye Andre Caroll Scott Paxson ~~Kyle Anderson~~ ~~Jabari Fletcher~~
LB	Scott Fujita D'Qwell Jackson Chris Gocong Kaluka Maiava Titus Brown Brian Smith	Steve Octavien Benjamin Jacobs* Archie Donald Eric Gordon Sidney Tarver
S	T.J. Ward Usama Young Mike Adams Ray Ventrone Eric Hagg	~~Brett Johnson~~
CB	Joe Haden Sheldon Brown Dimitri Patterson Buster Skrine James Dockery	Coye Francies* Ramzee Robinson DeAngelo Smith* Carl Gettis ~~Darian Hagan~~
ST	Ryan Pontbriand Phil Dawson Richmond McGee	~~Jeff Wolfert~~

Injured reserve: OG Eric Steinbach, P Reggie Hodges

The above list contains 53 players that I kept, and 26 players that I cut. My practice squad only contains seven players, meaning one player would come from other team's cuts. Listed below is what has changed since the last time. Any position not listed did not have any changes.

General Roster Projection Notes

Running Back: After seeing the number of reps that Armond Smith received in the final preseason game, I decided to swap him with Quinn Porter, putting Porter on the practice squad instead. I also added fullback Tyler Clutts to the practice squad.
Wide Receiver: I reconsidered my stance on wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and decided to put him on the 53-man roster. I think the coaching staff really does like him, and I don't think they want to release him just because the guy was unfortunate and injured his finger in camp.
Offensive Line: No change here, but I wanted to say this: I came very close to switching Branndon Braxton with newcomer Oniel Cousins. Swapping Pat Murray and Cousins seems more likely, but call it a hunch.
Defensive Line: I realized that I've been misclassifying Auston English as a linebacker, when he is really a defensive end. I couldn't have nine defensive linemen, so I ditched defensive tackle Travis Ivey. The loophole was the reason I had the open roster spot for Carlton Mitchell again.
Linebacker: (See above for my position change on Auston English). This unit is back down to six linebackers, but who else is going to make the final roster? I thought about cutting Brian Smith too. I could see us adding two players off waivers at this position.
Defensive Backs: I decided to add DeAngelo Smith to the practice squad.

There weren't too many changes, but there were enough. Feel free to share your own updated roster projections here, or some changes you would make to mine.

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Comments

i think Cousins is going to make the team

by RaysOfHope on Sep 2, 2011 10:33 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I expect great thib.

Resident Tim Couch Apologist.

by Dawg Nuts on Sep 2, 2011 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

most importantly

Smile big, hug bigger. Talk big, act bigger. Stop judging do something, shut the fck up do something.

by pwndabear on Sep 3, 2011 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I know I’ve read “thib” before on here, but don’t know what it means.what does it mean?

by athensdawg on Sep 3, 2011 10:35 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Someone simultaneously used the subject line and misspelled “things”

"Quote goes here."

by Adrock2099 on Sep 3, 2011 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah, gotcha, thanks

by athensdawg on Sep 3, 2011 4:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I had the same ‘hunch’ about the O-line.
I don’t think DeAngelo Smith makes the practice squad, he’s going to be cut and we’ll pickup someone else.
I also think Rod Windsor makes the practice squad.

Other than that I think this is a very good prediction of the 53.

by crazyL80 on Sep 2, 2011 10:36 PM EDT reply actions

I think Smith could be a really good FS. He was flying around the field.

by HenryDawg on Sep 3, 2011 12:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

his tackling is awful… even if he can move around it won’t matter when everyone is blowing right past him.

by crazyL80 on Sep 3, 2011 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I just found out he was actually a safety. nevermind.

by HenryDawg on Sep 3, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe that Octavien is going to make this team. I like his play.

The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot and The Decision define me. I live, die and breathe Cleveland Sports. The Browns will make us proud some day. When that day comes...I will be complete.

by Rounds94 on Sep 2, 2011 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

I agree.

by Don'tBuyBrownsQBJerseys on Sep 3, 2011 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions

We need to sign an offensive OL – it is not wise to have Jason Pinkston starting. I think he has showed he is a prospect – but I hope he is in the mix this year as a backup, so he can learn and really shore things up next year.

Change isn't good or bad it just "is". Don Draper of Madmen

by realmccoy on Sep 2, 2011 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

He’s this years’ Shaun Lauvao at best.

by scrumm on Sep 2, 2011 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Pinkston has been very solid. I’m not worried a bit, but if he gets hurt we could be screwed. Pat Murray is terrible.

by HenryDawg on Sep 3, 2011 12:13 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Offensive Line: No change here, but I wanted to say this: I came very close to switching Branndon Braxton with newcomer Oniel Cousins. Swapping Pat Murray and Cousins seems more likely, but call it a hunch.

I had a hunch once….ask BK19 how THAT turned out.

Only thing manlier than football? Ponies.

by BrownDawg1409 on Sep 2, 2011 11:23 PM EDT reply actions

You son of a…

by Bernie19Kosar on Sep 4, 2011 10:02 PM EDT up reply actions

A fanpost was deleted. WHAT DID I MISS?!

Pittsburgh is just jealous. We got Cudi and they have Wiz.

by SpecialBrownie on Sep 3, 2011 12:45 AM EDT reply actions

I hate when this happens.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Sep 3, 2011 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions

It was basically the same thing as this and the surprise cuts and adds post. Also, it had the word ‘Mangina’ somewhere.

"There is a small, but important difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool." - Demitri Martin

by Browns town on Sep 3, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

gross.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Sep 3, 2011 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Vaginis are much better to look at than manginas.

"There is a small, but important difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool." - Demitri Martin

by Browns town on Sep 3, 2011 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I just remembered, this fanpost was far more controversial and is now gone: A Browns fan (can’t remember who) decided to stroll on over to Behind the Steel Curtain and come back here to post about how Steeler fans are all classless and how reading their comments made him feel more intelligent in comparison.

"There is a small, but important difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool." - Demitri Martin

by Browns town on Sep 3, 2011 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

We need a seventh linebacker. We can’t afford to be down to four while Chris Gocong and Titus Brown heal. As of right now, that guy is probably Ben Jacobs, though it’s very likely that the actual player will come from another team’s cuts.

I predict we cut Pat Murray and go a couple weeks with only eight offensive linemen. The final guy wouldn’t make the active gameday roster, anyway. If Gocong and Brown can’t play, the seventh linebacker will likely dress for the game.

by Bumblyjack on Sep 3, 2011 12:55 AM EDT reply actions

Good thinking. I think I was just hesitant to name a seventh guy because I’d rather pick from the waiver wire instead of the UDFA’s.

Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.

by Chris Pokorny on Sep 3, 2011 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Smart. I think Jacobs looked good fwiw.

by HenryDawg on Sep 3, 2011 12:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Do you think it´s interesting that the cut list might be able to beat the keep list?
I hope coach Shurmur makes a solid statement, that might add up to neither nor, rather than either or. He needs to right the ship, before it heads out to sea.

by mooncamping on Sep 3, 2011 5:10 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

???

Hank Poteat owes me 60 bucks.

by LocalMan on Sep 3, 2011 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I think what he is saying is the guys cut might be better than the guys they keep so it may not matter who they keep or cut. Yes, No?

by SBP on Sep 3, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Right… what are we paying holmey $50 million for? He hires guys who don’t know how to make roster cuts or coach… what a waste of money!

Hank Poteat owes me 60 bucks.

by LocalMan on Sep 3, 2011 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions

You can be financial about it, or logical.

by mooncamping on Sep 4, 2011 5:19 AM EDT up reply actions

No, I meant that, if the guys cut, can contend with the guys kept, your either in the land of plenty, or your blundering.

by mooncamping on Sep 4, 2011 5:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Shurmur puts players on the field. If you want the ship righted then Heckert is the guy.

by SBP on Sep 3, 2011 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Shurmur should only put players on the field, he believes in, and the front office should have had that interest in mind. Every head coach deserves that chance at choice.

by mooncamping on Sep 4, 2011 5:20 AM EDT up reply actions

I like the prediction.

I think that Smith, Armond & Brian, Vallos and Murray are bubble and could be replaced by waiver wire players. Cousins may make it on versatility.

After these the next at risk is Alex Smith, Hagg and English, but I think they make it.

by SBP on Sep 3, 2011 9:47 AM EDT reply actions

Vallos is also versatile and probably our only backup center, he makes the cut. I don’t know why Hagg would make the cut… we haven’t even seen him yet. If there is a safety on the waiver with NFL experience he has to be considered over Hagg.

by crazyL80 on Sep 3, 2011 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions