Browns set 53-man roster, for now at least

The Cleveland Browns are down to the final 53-man roster, for now, but expect more changes to be on the way in the days to come.

The Cleveland Browns made their final roster moves on Saturday as they trimmed the squad down to the NFL-mandated limit of 53 players.

That doesn’t mean the team is finished, of course, or that all of the 53 players will still be on the roster in a day or two, let alone by the season opener on Sept. 10.

The club on its website that they waived the following players:

"Running back Terrence Magee, linebacker Deon King, wide receiver Jordan Payton, wide receiver Jordan Leslie, wide receiver Rannell Hall, tight end J.P. Holtz, offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano, defensive lineman Xavier Cooper, linebacker Kenneth Olugbode, defensive back Najee Murray and placekicker Cody Parkey"

Saturday’s cuts mean that the Browns kept every one of their 2017 draft picks on the initial roster in one fashion or another. Cornerback Howard Wilson was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Friday, so while he is not on the active roster he is still on the team.

There are not may surprises among the cuts, although wide receivers Jordan Leslie and Rannell Hall, who both had their moments in the preseason, stand out. As does offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano, if only because the Browns seem pretty thin along the offensive line.

There are a few surprises among the players the Browns kept, mostly on the defensive side, as defensive linemen Caleb Brantley and Nate Orchard, who were injured most of the preseason, are on the roster now. Safety Calvin Pryor, who did little outside of special teams, also somehow survived the final cut down.

Other highlights include:

• Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan made the roster as the backup quarterbacks
• Running back Matthew Dayes, the penultimate player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, is on the team
• The Browns currently have 10 defensive linemen and just five linebackers, a division that may change depending on who becomes available on the waiver wire
• With the release of Cooper and the mid-week trade of Cameron Erving, there are currently just seven of the 18 players drafted by former general manager Ray Farmer left on the roster
• Safety Kai Nacua is the only undrafted free agent to make the team

Next: Browns trade for Sammie Coates

The Browns have first priority on the waiver wire, and with so many players being released as the league switch the deadline just one day, it is very likely that Cleveland will continue to be active throughout the weekend.