Browns cutdown day: What I’m hearing, what I expect

The Cleveland Browns and the rest of the NFL will spend Tuesday breaking the hearts of many players hoping to make initial 53-man rosters. For many players, Tuesday is the last time they will ever have a chance to wear an NFL uniform. Thankfully, thanks to a number of spring leagues, more players than ever before will have the chance to play football as a job.

For the Browns, two names that carried a lot of negative stigma with the fan base have already seen their fates decided. WR Anthony Schwartz was waived with an injury designation, among 12 moves made by the team, while kicker Cade York will be on his way out as well.

There are still a lot of decisions to be made to get to the Browns initial 53-man roster today. It is vital we use the word “initial” because it is likely that a few more moves take place on Wednesday and the potential for even more before the team’s Week 1 53-man roster is finalized next week.

Here are a few things that I am hearing from around Cleveland that could be interesting as well as a few things I expect to happen:

• OL Michael Dunn could be returning and only released to make space for a player to make the initial roster and then go on injured reserve. We discussed this technicality previously
• DE Alex Wright is likely to be one of the players to make the initial roster before heading to IR
• RB Pierre Strong, acquired in a trade, was likely to be cut by New England as he failed to impress in his one-season plus second training camp
• GM Andrew Berry has been very active in talking trades (to send out or acquire)
• York has not been officially waived which could lead to a deal
• There was a sense among players that keeping York was untenable with the lofty expectations and quality of the roster
• If Jakeem Grant and Marquise Goodwin were healthy, keeping seven receivers was a strong option
• Austin Watkins is unlikely to make the initial 53-man roster but trades could change that
• Cleveland is looking for ways to be creative with their moves to be able to keep a few players on their practice squad, including Watkins, by how they time things (releases today versus tomorrow for example)
• Berry wants to keep some developmental players but has to prioritize veterans who can step in and play primarily which could impact Mohamoud Diabate, Ronnie Hickman and others
• Talent is only one variable in roster decisions along with roster need, depth, age, contracts and ability to play in a regular season right away
• The Josh Dobbs trade was not expected even days prior but Dorian Thompson-Robinson has played so well that the fifth-round pick was hard to pass up
• Outside of the team, very little is known about TE Harrison Bryant’s medical situation
• DT Jordan Elliot has not been impressive during the preseason, hence playing more snaps than others, but his $1 million in guaranteed money makes cutting him more difficult
• As of Monday, no big moves were in the works for Cleveland to acquire a player
• Generally due diligence, but teams have checked in with the Browns about a number of players like DTR (pre-Dobbs trade), Donovan Peoples-Jones and others just in case Berry was open to moving them
• Cedric Tillman has impressed but, barring injury, is unlikely to get many snaps as a rookie given the current roster
• Would not be surprised if the Browns add another running back from outside of the organization in the next 48 hours

A lot of moving parts over the next couple of days, is there a player you would pound the table to make the roster? Someone who is likely to make the roster who you think shouldn’t? Join the comment section below to discuss: