It's one of the more exciting days as a fan to find out who will be available on gameday during the regular season, but for those who have been cut, it has to feel like a downer. Overall, my projections were pretty good, but there was a shocker -- the removal of wide receiver Travis Wilson. You have to wonder if that one dropped catch against the Bears cost him everything.

FINAL TRANSACTIONS (TO GET ROSTER DOWN TO 53)

Players Waived

1. WR Travis Wilson - I wouldn't be surprised if he still gets brought back at some point though, if we run into another injury.
   
2. WR Steve Sanders
3. WR Efrem Hill
4. WR Lance Leggett
   
5. TE Brad Cieslak - Good luck to wherever he goes next.
   
6. TE Kolomona Kapanui
7. OL James Lee - I hope to see him on the practice squad.
   
8. OL Jonathan Palmer
9. DL Melila Purcell
   
10. LB David McMillan - A shame he never caught on.
    
11. LB Chase Ortiz
12. DB A.J. Davis
13. DB Jereme Perry
    
14. DB Travis Key - Big-time playmaker in little time with the Browns; hope to see him on the practice squad.
    
15. DB Brandon Mitchell
16. K Jason Reda - If Dawson gets hurt, I think he did enough to get the first phone call.
    

Waived-Injured

1. RB Travis Thomas
2. OL Derrick Morse
3. OL Marvin Philip
4. DL Chase Pittman

Terminated-Vested Veteran

1. LB Shantee Orr

Injured Reserve

1. OL Lennie Friedman

Here are some of players who were on the bubble and made the final 53-man roster:

POSSIBLE SURPRISES (THEY MADE THE FINAL ROSTER)

1. WR Syndric Steptoe - His strong preseason effort paid off, and I'm sure his progress on kick returns helped him in case Joshua Cribbs gets banged up again.
   
2. WR Paul Hubbard - This is probably a fairness issue -- they gave Travis Wilson several years to develop before cutting ties with him, so why not give Hubbard at least a year to progress?
   
3. OL Nate Bennett - With Lennie Friedman being placed on the injured reserve (speaking of which, when did he get banged up?), Bennett takes his roster spot. I don't think anyone could've projected this one unless they had inside information on Friedman.
   
4. OL Isaac Sowells - My reasons hold true. Take that, doubters! ;)
   
5. DL Louis Leonard - He adds some versatility, because he can play nose tackle or defensive end.
   
6. DL Ahtyba Rubin - Showed more progress in his first camp than Babatunde Oshinowo seemed to.
   
7. DB Gerard Lawson - He had some trouble tackling in the final preseason game, but I thought his awareness level was a little higher than the rest of the guys trying to make the team. He's also taken a few reps at kick and punt return -- if Cribbs is out Week 1, the Browns could put Steptoe at kick returner and Lawson at punt returner (or Lawson could do both if Steptoe is out for a week too).
   

Leave your thoughts on the cuts here. I correctly projected 49/53 roster spots, which is 92.4% accuracy. Grade me with an "A" ;). I will be updating this post shortly with a little note next to some of the players.

Don't worry loyal readers: I haven't gone on a "trade them all" rampage like Jay / Ryan over at Let's Go Tribe just yet. Believe it or not, me posting this item has nothing to do with the Browns playing poorly in their second consecutive preseason game.

It's a fact that the first roster cuts are due in on August 26 (this Tuesday). So, considering our current roster, I want you to act like you are Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage. You only need to make five cuts, and it's very unlikely that we would go over that amount. In otherwords, please don't reply saying "I would cut ten people" unless you really believe you have a legitimate point.

Here are my first five cuts (these are the ones I projected prior to the Lions game):

1. DB Brandon Mitchell - With Jones and Pool nursing injuries, this one may not actually happen now. Sticking with my original instincts though.
   
2. RB Austin Scott - The team seems to prefer RB Travis Thomas just a little bit more, though honestly I could care less which back goes first.
   
3. DL Brian Schaefering - I saw him for the first time against the Lions. Too many players are ahead of him in the running though, and it makes sense to dump the bottom of the depth chart if you're looking to give former draft picks Melila Purcell and Chase Pittman more reps in the preseason finale.
   
4. OL Jonathan Palmer - I'm not really fond of Isaac Sowells or James Lee at this point, but Palmer is probably behind them on the depth chart too, leaving the competition down to just two men for the backup tackle role.
   
5. TE Kolo Kapanui - Yet to really make any impact; appears as though four tight ends are ahead of him on depth chart.
   

While not required, please feel free to elaborate on some of your cuts. If you list a third-string player who never gets in on the action, I think it'll be self-explanatory. But, if you're going to cut a player like Travis Wilson or David McMillan right away, please explain why since those cuts, if necessary, can be made after our fourth preseason game. Your argument doesn't have to be sane to be acceptable; just provide a basis of where you're coming from and I'll be pleased ;)

P.S. My review of the ever-so-boring Lions / Browns preseason contest is due some time Sunday. Check back often.

Romeo Crennel claps on as he watches the rest of his team practice in the hottest day of camp thus far.

On the seventh day of training camp, the training camp facility in Berea saw an arrival. An arrival that has no proper name but can be a real pain in the neck: HEAT.

With it being an afternoon practice today, the team got their first taste of near 90-degree temperatures underneath the scorching sun. They knew it had to come sooner than later, but did it affect anyone's performance during practice?

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 7 (7/29/08)

1. Mr. Rogers: So, how did Shaun Rogers hold up in this heat? Perfectly fine, considering he was given the day off by Romeo Crennel. There wasn't anything wrong with him; more of the "veteran respect" it seems. Kellen Winslow was also given the day off.
2. Josh Cribbs Day: If you are a huge fan of Joshua Cribbs, then you missed a good one today, because it was almost "all Cribbs, all the time" (didn't that used to be similar to WKNR 1220's tagline?). Cribbs' action will be highlighted below...
3. Cribbs at QB: While he didn't throw any passes, Cribbs lined up at quarterback for at least four plays, according to the Plain Dealer. Each time, he took a direct snap from shotgun and ran with the ball, much like he did a few times during the 2007-2008 campaign.
4. Cribbs on Reverses: The gadgets continued while Cribbs was lined up at different positions. He had several reverses, fake reverses, and throws off the reverse. WTAM's website reports an instance in which Cribbs received a reverse and then ran the option play with receiver Donte Stallworth trailing him.
It was a very busy day for WR Joshua Cribbs. Here, outruns the defense for a touchdown after a slant pass from QB Brady Quinn.
5. Cribbs' Weight Loss: WTAM also reports that after showing up to camp at 230 pounds, Cribbs has already lost 8-10 pounds. That seems a little excessive, doesn't it?
6. Cribbs via Quinn: Practice closed out with another play involving Cribbs. He caught a nice spiral from Quinn on a deep slant over the middle before outracing the defenders to the end zone for a touchdown.
7. Quinn's Day: Speaking of Quinn, this was reportedly one of his better practices, though that's not saying a whole lot. His accuracy was up, but many of his passes were still underthrown on intermediate routes.
8. Daily Wilson: Although he couldn't haul in a pass that he slid to the ground for and got his hands on, it was still a good day overall for Travis Wilson, who performed well in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
   
9. Pick Six for Adams: Off of a dropped pass to tight end Darnell Dinkins on a pass from Derek Anderson, backup safety Mike Adams returned an interception for a touchdown.
10. Stallworth, DEEP: Getting back into the groove of things, Donte Stallworth caught a deep touchdown pass from Anderson, drawing an ovation from the crowd.
Jerome Harrison is getting a lot of reps behind Jamal Lewis. Will that mean anything on gameday though?
11. Reps for Jerome: Backup running back Jerome Harrison has been getting a lot of reps with the second team, and he's looked quick and elusive as always. I'll repeat it again though: you can't get excited about his potential until regular season gameday to see if the coaches actually utilize him or simply "stash him as an option".
12. Ali Repping Up: The roster odds for fullback Charles Ali are increasing by the day. With Vickers out, Ali has been the team's primary fullback in camp, and he has been hitting people hard. Kolo Kapanui or any of the other UDFA's haven't made significant noise either.
13. Other Sit Outs: DE Corey Williams (shoulder), TE Steve Heiden (knee), OG Seth McKinney (ankle), FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring) and WR Kevin Kasper (hamstring) did not practice. Of all those players, I'm most disappointed to see Kasper still on the sidelines. We need to see if this guy could be our fourth, or even third, receiver.

Anderson's pick to Adams and Quinn's touchdown to Cribbs were in the two-minute drills to close practice. The Canton Repository provided a more detailed summary of the situations:

Monday's lone practice concluded with a two-minute drill. Anderson went first, running the No. 1 offense — and getting picked off by safety Mike Adams on a misfire that glanced off tight end Darnell Dinkins' hands.

Quinn brought the No. 2 offense on the field. Early in his shift, rookie Paul Hubbard and 2007 practice squad extra Steve Sanders split wide left, with Cribbs setting up wide right. Cribbs fired off the line on a quick slant, and Quinn hit him in stride against cornerback Jereme Perry. Cribbs accelerated and ran into the clear for a 45-yard touchdown.

Here's your link collection of sources for Tuesday's practice:

Browns insider: Offensive line word association (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Browns notebook from Day 7 (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)

Day 7 of training camp (WTAM)

Ali a "new player" in his second camp (Official Site, Jackson)

Camp report: Jones expects big things (Orange and Brown Report)

Tuesday training camp update (OBR Forums)

Dawson taking nothing for granted (Official Site, King)

Photos from camp (OBR Forum member)

If you have Sirius Satellite Radio, I'm sure you've heard the news already that the merger between Sirius and XM was FINALLY approved today, thank heavens. Sirius has its own NFL station on Channel 124. Every year, "Movin' the Chains" hosts Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan visit training camps around the league.

They will be covering the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday (July 30) from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. EST. If I don't forget about it, I will try to cover it live here on Dawgs By Nature, providing any updates that they are discussing, just like I did last year. Don't get too excited, but do check in around 3:30 PM EST to see if I'm doing play-by-play (assuming you don't have a Sirius yourself).

The tight end situation will be one to follow in training camp. After Kellen Winslow toughed out another season last year, the Browns decided to spend a draft pick on tight end Martin Rucker. Rucker enables offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski to get more creative with more versatile personnel at his disposal.

When considering some of the depth trying out for the fullback position, it will be kept in mind that one of them could make the team in place of Charles Ali as a tight end/fullback combination. Teams really only need three tight ends, and as far as I can tell, we've already got three reliable ones locked up...

1. KELLEN WINSLOW JR - STARTING TIGHT END

Kellen Winslow (#80)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 248
College: Miami
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 1106 yards, 5 TD

The controversy surrounding Winslow this offseason is over, hopefully. There were two issues, perhaps both of which were made way too big a deal out of by the local media, depending on who you ask. The issues were...

1. Winslow missing part of OTAs and rehabbing
2. Contract negotiations possibly leading to a holdout

Neither of the two issues seemed to actually have an adverse affect, at least at minicamp and in the present. Now, we can focus on what matters: playing football. Amen.

Worst Attribute: Breaking Tackles - One of the things we've failed to see Winslow do at a high level in the NFL is break through tackles. He knows how to get open and catches the ball extremely well, but his yards-after-catch average is a career mark of 4.2 (it was 4.4 last season). With Winslow's receiver-like speed, I would expect him to lead tight ends in this category. Instead, guys like Alge Crumpler (6.5), Donald Lee (6.0), Desmond Clark (5.6), Heath Miller (5.2), and Chris Cooley (4.6) are all ahead of him.

Part of the problem probably stems from Winslow's serious injuries from his first two seasons with the Browns -- a broken fibula and a torn ACL. When Winslow catches the ball in the open field with his feet stationary, he doesn't seem to have the "wheels" to get started again before a defender makes contact with him. In Winslow's third year after his ACL, it'll be interesting to see if he regains more of his original lower body agility.

Note: Blocking is also a weakness for Winslow.

Best Attribute: Athleticism - Even with the "weakness" listed above, Winslow remains a tremendous athlete, even to the point where outsiders have labeled him as a wide receiver instead of a tight end. Knowing Winslow isn't an elite blocker, the Browns have taken advantage of putting Winslow in the slot. More times than not, against an undersized defensive back or a linebacker having to cover too much ground, that creates a mismatch.

Here is an interesting note regarding Anderson and Winslow's chemistry last season: in the first six weeks of the season, Winslow had receptions of 30 yards, 33 yards, 49 yards, and 33 yards. After Week 6 though, the duo failed to connect for more than 25 yards. The dropoff could be paralleled with Winslow "gutting out" seasons through pain, and therefore progressively declining slightly as the season goes on. If Winslow is able to improve his stop-and-start ability this year, his athleticism will allow him to break out for 30 yard receptions more often.

Various Concerns / Comments - Will a new contract with Winslow be reached at some point during the season? If the Browns feel that Winslow needs a break, will they let him "gut" things out again, or will they put their foot down and utilize Martin Rucker instead?

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: A
Final Roster Odds: 100%

2. MARTIN RUCKER - BACKUP TIGHT END

Martin Rucker (#80)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 255
College: Missouri
Experience: Rookie
Note: 4th round pick

Deemed as first/second-round talent by general manager Phil Savage, Rucker also represents an insurance policy in case Winslow's past injuries catch up to him again.

Downside Level: Blocking Experience - Note that the subtitle says "blocking experience", as opposing to just "blocking". Rucker's "downside" could inevitably turn out to be a strength, at least in comparison to Winslow. In scouting profiles, Rucker was criticized for not being able to block. However, after being drafted by the Browns, Savage and company stated that they believed it was simply a case of Rucker never being asked to block at Missouri. Once they tap into his potential, it may make the decision easier on whether or not we need a fourth tight end exclusively for blocking/special teams.

Best Attribute: Athleticism II - Like Winslow, Rucker has similar athleticism when running routes vertically down the field. The dynamic of having both Rucker and Winslow running down the field should present us with more targets down near the red zone too. Rucker's body could especially be useful if Joe Jurevicius isn't available during the regular season.

Various Concerns / Comments - Will the staff feel Rucker is "ready" to be part of our offense by Week 1? Winslow is the starter, but typically two tight-end sets involve one receiving tight end and one blocking tight end. In that case, you may see Steve Heiden continue to fulfill his regular duties as the backup tight end.

Player Quality: C (Incomplete)
Final Roster Odds: 100%

3. STEVE HEIDEN - BACKUP TIGHT END

Steve Heiden (#82)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 275
College: South Dakota St.
Experience: 8 years
Stats: 104 yards, 0 TDs

Heiden has been with the Browns for six years already. It doesn't seem like it's been that long, does it? The veteran tight end suffered career lows last season since coming to Cleveland in receptions and yards, and matched a career low in touchdowns. With Braylon Edwards and Winslow coming into their own last year, and the team being able to depend on the running game, Heiden was used for what he was originally brought in for: blocking. With Rucker added to the mix, it's hard to imagine Heiden piling anything more into the stat sheet than a token catch here and there. I'm not doing a weakness/strength breakdown for Heiden; I think we get the picture with him already.

Various Concerns / Comments - Heiden always seems like a stand up guy and a leader at the tight end position. I hope his injury from earlier in the offseason doesn't cause him to start the year on the PUP list or anything.

Player Quality: C+
Final Roster Odds: 95%

4. DARNELL DINKINS - BACKUP TIGHT END

Darnell Dinkins (#82)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 259
College: Pittsburgh
Experience: 5 years
Note: Blocking specialist

Some battles in training camp are more exciting than others, and Dinkins is involved in one of them. There looks to be a four-way competition between him, fullback Charles Ali, and two other tight end for only one roster spot. Dinkins has been with the Browns for two years and has been held in high regard for his special teams contributions. While I believe there is merit to that, I also remember Dinkins and Simon Fraser being at the forefront of costly penalties.

Various Concerns / Comments - Part of the reason Dinkins was kept last year was to help ease the transition for Jamal Lewis, since they were together in Baltimore at one time. Since Lewis has tasted success in Cleveland, will that play a part in feeling more comfortable in releasing Dinkins?

Player Quality: D+
Final Roster Odds: 40%

5. BRAD CIESLAK - BACKUP TIGHT END

Brad Cieslak (#85)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 262
College: Northern Illinois
Experience: 2 years
Note: Practice Squad (07)

Added to the Browns practice squad near mid-December in the 2007 campaign, Cieslak will have the opportunity to compete for the fourth tight end spot if the team feels like cutting all ties with Dinkins outright. Usually, there is a tight end in camp that impresses us.

Last year, it was tight end Ryan Krause due to his receiving abilities in the preseason and in camp. Cieslak has similar receiving potential, but they didn't keep Krause last year, and we now have two receiving tight ends as locks (Winslow / Rucker).

Final Roster Odds: 10%
Practice Squad Odds: 40%

6. KOLOMONA KAPANUI - UDFA TIGHT END

Kolomona Kapanui (#48)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 271
College: West Texas A&M
Experience: Rookie
Note: Roster potential

So...this is the guy that is getting Browns fans excited (in terms of the three-for-one roster spot theory)? What the Browns seem to like about Kapanui is his potential as a blocker.

At a crowded tight end position, he was often lined up as a third-string fullback in minicamp sessions. Since there are technically six tight ends on the roster, I wouldn't be surprised if Kapanui is used almost exclusively at fullback during training camp to present more of a balance. He has caught the ball well enough.

Final Roster Odds: 10%
Practice Squad Odds: 40%

TE Position Quality (Overall): A

You can't ask for much more at the tight end position -- you have a Pro Bowl receiver, a rookie with a lot of promise, and an 8-year veteran blocker. On top of that, you've got what should be a competitive battle for the fourth tight end spot, if necessary.

NEXT UP: Offensive Line