Re-thinking 53-man Browns roster after cut down

The Cleveland Browns recently trimmed their roster to 85 players, but what will it look like when they get to 53 players?

None of the recent Cleveland Browns roster moves were incredibly shocking. They trimmed their roster down to 85 players and that included sending tight end Stephen Carlson and wide receiver Ryan Switzer to the IR.

They also waived Montrel Meander, Cordel Iwuagwu, and Kiondre Thomas. Now they have two preseason games remaining to figure out who they need to keep on their initial 53-man roster.

Here we look at which players could wind up making the cut.

Browns roster: Quarterback (2)

Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum

Kyle Lauletta made a strong case to be on the 53-man roster and if he continues to play well, he could force the team’s hand. But as of now, it still feels like Kevin Stefanski will want to go heavy elsewhere and one way to do that is by going with just two players at this position.

One reason this is feasible is the durability of Baker Mayfield. He hasn’t missed a start in his career, and the only time Case Keenum got an extended look in 2020 was when the game against the Steelers was out of hand. Mayfield has pushed through the pain and made sure to get out there with his team — and while an injury can happen at any time, the Browns likely feel confident that they will be able to rely on No. 6.

And in the off chance he does go down, Cleveland is in good hands with Case Keenum. No, he can’t push the ball downfield the way Mayfield, or even Lualetta, can but he’s still a smart player who doesn’t turn the ball over a lot. Keenum won’t be the reason the team wins but he won’t be the reason they lose either, which is what many coaches want in their No. 2.