With the 2022 NFL Draft behind us, as well as the majority of the free agency period, we try and predict what the Cleveland Browns 53-man roster will look like in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL Season
With the 2022 NFL Draft behind us, we can start to finally look ahead to what the Cleveland Browns plan is for the regular season.
Of course, they’re still focused on their offseason workouts and the training camp which starts in the summer. Those will be the practices that help them decide which of the nine draft picks — as well as the undrafted free agents they added — make the final roster.
There’s still plenty of time left for that to work itself out but we still look ahead with our best guess at how the 53-man roster will look by Week 1 for the Browns.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Quarterback (3)
Deshaun Watson
Jacoby Brissett
Josh Dobbs
This position seems set in stone. The Browns know Deshaun Watson is their guy and Jacoby Brissett gives them an experienced backup. Watson didn’t play in 2021 due to off-field issues but he led the league in passing in 2020.
As for Brissett, he was a full-time starter at one point for Indianapolis and gives them someone who can keep the chains moving should he need to start.
In a normal year, that would be enough but things will be a little different in 2022 — and maybe even 2023 — as Cleveland awaits the NFL’s decision on a looming suspension for Watson.
That’s why it makes sense for Josh Dobbs to be on the roster as well. Dobbs was a fourth-round pick of the Steelers back in 2017 and while his regular-season action is limited, he has always impressed in the preseason when he played.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Running Back (5)
Nick Chubb
Kareem Hunt
D’Ernest Johnson
Jerome Ford
Johnny Stanton
The Cleveland Browns already had the best running back room in the NFL, and they got even better in the draft. Nick Chubb, who was a second-round pick back in 2018 has asserted himself as one of the best in the business.
He’s a no-nonsense player who lets his performance do the talking. He’s also already climbing up the team’s all-time leaderboard with 4,816 yards and 36 touchdowns already under his belt in four seasons.
Behind him is Kareem Hunt who led the NFL in yardage as a rookie back in 2017. He enters the final year of his deal but is still likely going to be in the plans for 2022. He’s simply too dangerous when he gets hot.
Third is D’Ernest Johnson who racked up 534 yards last season as he filled in when Hunt was injured. He’s back on a restricted free agent deal and should be the No. 2 guy in 2023 if Hunt does leave — as long as they can re-sign him.
Then in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Browns brought in Jerome Ford who can do a lot of the things Hunt can do. His addition spells the end for Demetric Felton in this prediction.
Johnny Stanton rounds things out as Cleveland continues to keep a fullback on the roster since Kevin Stefanski loves to have them.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Wide Receiver (6)
Amari Cooper
Donovan Peoples-Jones
David Bell
Jakeem Grant
Anthony Schwartz
Isaiah Weston
No unit went through as much change this offseason for the Browns as their wideout corps did. They released Jarvis Landry and didn’t seem to make an effort to re-sign Rashard Higgins. However, they did land a huge name in Amari Cooper, who they stole from Dallas for a fifth-round pick.
He will be the No. 1 guy with Donovan Peoples-Jones serving as the second receiver. Rookie David Bell might prove to be one of the steals of the draft and is favored to be the third guy on the depth chart.
Behind him will be Jakeem Grant who is going to be a return man but also has value on offense — especially on jet sweeps. Anthony Schwartz makes the team but he needs to show a lot of progress to get on the field with the new names added to the mix.
As for Isaiah Weston, it might seem like a surprise to see the UDFA on the list, but this kid has a ton of talent and could do enough to force Cleveland’s hand. If he shows enough promise, they won’t be able to expose him to waivers and will have to keep him on the roster to make sure he doesn’t get claimed.
There have been claims to bring Landry back but this unit is pretty talented and a whole lot more explosive than they were a season ago.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Tight End (3)
David Njoku
Harrison Bryant
Zaire Mitchell-Paden
Sometimes the best thing a team can do is admit a mistake. The Browns did this when they franchise-tagged David Nkjoku and then released Austin Hooper. While Hooper wasn’t as bad as it seemed during his time in Cleveland, there was also no reason to pay him as much as they did when they already had Njoku on the roster.
One of three picks Cleveland added in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft, Njoku has developed as a blocker and is now a very well-rounded tight end. He was also arguably the most reliable pass-catcher they had on the team in 2021 — but he still didn’t get nearly enough targets.
Third-year player Harrison Bryant has put up 471 yards and six touchdowns in his first two seasons in the league and is ready for an expanded role. With Cleveland not adding anyone in the draft, he should get that opportunity.
As for the third spot, this is merely a guess. Zaire Mitchell-Paden is the top prospect they added as an undrafted free agent and without another signing, he could be the one to make the team.
Cleveland only goes with three tight ends since fullback Johnny Stanton can help in that role in a pinch if needed. They will surely keep players on the practice squad as well.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Offensive Line (9)
Jedrick Wills
Joel Bitonio
Nick Harris
Wyatt Teller
Jack Conklin
James Hudson
Ethan Pocic
Chris Hubbard
Blake Hance
Jedrick Wills was general manager Andrew Berry’s first-ever draft pick and after two seasons, the results have been mixed. He was really good as a rookie but in 2021, there were times he really struggled. However, he did play through an ankle injury which could explain that.
Next to him is Joel Bitonio, who is the glue of the line at left guard. Right guard will again be Wyatt Teller, and the Browns just locked both of them up long-term.
The man in the middle will be Nick Harris, who is replacing J.C. Tretter — another veteran cap casualty. Harris started one game last season and did an admirable job, which might have given Cleveland the confidence to make this move ‚— he will have an experienced backup though in free-agent signee Ethan Pocic.
At right tackle, Jack Conklin will be back after suffering an ugly knee injury last season. James Hudson and Chris Hubbard (who has also had injury concerns) will be the primary reserves at tackle. Hudson had problems as a rookie but a whole offseason could help him win the swing tackle job.
The final lineman is Blake Hance who is better at guard but can play tackle if needed — and he was needed several times in 2021.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Defensive Line (10)
Myles Garrett
Perrion Winfrey
Taven Bryan
Jadeveon Clowney
Alex Wright
Chase Winovich
Tommy Togiai
Sheldon Day
Jordan Elliott
Isaac Rochell
Myles Garrett continues to be an All-Pro forced on one side of the defensive line and will have another big season in 2022. Across from him in 2021 was Jadeveon Clowney as the Browns had two No. 1 overall picks on the edge.
In this prediction, Clowney is back and starting for Cleveland once again. He has yet to re-sign but when the Browns didn’t use a premium pick on a starting-caliber EDGE, it seemed as though they had a plan ‚— and Clowney could be a part of it.
As for their defensive tackles, both starters are new here with former first-round pick Taven Bryan being signed after four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He didn’t live up to his draft status but in Cleveland, he could find new life.
Perrion Winfrey was a fourth-round pick but should have gone much higher. He’s the starter next to Bryan in this scenario.
While neither are huge run-stuffers, the Browns could mix in Sheldon Day, Tommy Togiai, and Jordan Elliott. They also have some versatility with Day who can play on the EDGE.
Isaac Rochell, Chase Winovich, and Alex Wright end up on the roster as reserve defensive ends, although Winovich can also play linebacker — which is why they go a little thin at that spot later in this prediction.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Linebacker (5)
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Anthony Walker
Jacob Phillips
Sione Takitaki
Tony Fields
As mentioned earlier, Chase Winovich plays a bit of a hybrid role and can serve as a linebacker and EDGE. That’s why Cleveland is able to keep just five players on the active roster — with an undrafted free agent likely on the practice squad for emergencies.
The top linebacker entering this season is hands-down Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. A second-round pick that had no business falling to Round 2, JOK was all over the field as a rookie. And the more comfortable he got at the NFL level, the more we saw his athleticism shine through.
In the middle will again be Anthony Walker. He was a leader of the defense in 2021 and it really wasn’t a huge surprise Cleveland re-signed him.
The third starter should be Jacob Phillips, provided he can stay healthy. He’s an incredibly athletic linebacker but through his first two seasons, he’s played in just 13 games.
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Fourth is Sione Takitaki, a third-round pick out of BYU back in 2019. Takitaki is a quality player who has 132 tackles in three seasons. He simply does his job and very rarely misses tackles.
The final linebacker to make the list is Tony Fields, a fifth-round pick from 2021. Fields played in 10 games but had just four tackles. He’s slightly undersized at 6-foot and 222-pounds but was a tackling machine in college and could be a surprise contributor this season.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Cornerback (5)
Denzel Ward
Greg Newsome
Greedy Williams
Martin Emerson
A.J. Green
Denzel Ward made a lot of money this offseason. Entering his fifth season, the No. 4 overall pick in 2018 out of Ohio State earned a five-year deal worth $100.5 million. In four seasons, Ward has 186 tackles, 50 pass defenses, 10 interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns. Simply put, he’s one of the best in the business.
Across from him is Greg Newsome who was the team’s first-round pick last season. Newsome had 37 tackles and 10 pass breakups as a rookie as he proved to be an excellent cover corner. The one issue with Newsome is injuries. He missed a lot of games for Northwestern and so far had to sit out five games with Cleveland.
Greedy Williams, who had his own injury concerns which cost him all of 2020, was able to suit up for 16 games in 2021. He also had his first two career picks and broke up 10 passes.
As if being three deep wasn’t enough, the Browns used their first pick in the draft this year on Martin Emerson from Mississippi State. Now, it was a third-round pick after trading down, but he’s still someone who could step in and start as a rookie if needed.
Former undrafted free-agent A.J. Green rounds the unit out and he’s got plenty of talent as well. With injuries being a concern in 2021, he played in 12 games with one start and finished with 21 tackles, six pass defenses, a pick, and two fumble recoveries. Not bad numbers for the No. 5 guy in the room.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Safety (4)
John Johnson III
Grant Delpit
Ronnie Harrison
Richard LeCounte
As it stands right now, the Browns aren’t incredibly deep at safety — which is a bit surprising considering they love to use three on the field often. With that being said, they still just go four deep in this prediction and plan to keep a couple on the practice squad in case of an injury.
John Johnson III and Grant Delpit are the primary starters. Both play better near the line of scrimmage but can also perform in deep coverage. Delpit may be slightly better in this role, however.
Ronnie Harrison was brought back which was a little surprising. He wasn’t the same player in 2021 that we saw in 2020 and even had some issues with penalties, including being kicked out in Week 1 for shoving a coach — he was shoved first, but he still needs to be smarter than to retaliate.
Last is Richard LeCounte, who was a fifth-round pick in 2021. LeCounte showed a lot of promise with the Georgia Bulldogs before being slowed by injury. He played well in the preseason as a rookie but had just three tackles all year.
The fact that Cleveland didn’t add much at the position means they have faith in his talent. Perhaps he has a bigger role than expected.
Cleveland Browns roster prediction: Specialists (3)
Cade York
Corey Bojorquez
Charley Hughlett
Charley Hughlett keeps plugging along as the long-snapper for the Browns as he enters his seventh season with the team. He’s seen a lot of change around him though and that will again be the case in 2022.
Cleveland moved on from Chase McLaughlin after just one season. McLaughlin started out with a bang but cooled off down the stretch. His struggles were enough to convince the Browns to add Cade York out of LSU with one of their picks in Round 4.
That might seem high for a kicker but with the problems they have had in Cleveland recently, it made sense to try and nail the spot down. York made several 50-plus yard kicks and was able to perform in high-pressure situations as well.
Corey Bojorquez joins the ranks as well after spending 2021 with the Green Bay Packers. Before that, he was in Buffalo with the Bills. Now he’s in Cleveland, which almost feels unfair for a California kid to play for some of the teams in the coldest NFL cities.
In four seasons, Bojorquez has averaged 45.4 yards per kick and put up an 82-yard punt last season as well as a 72-yarder the year prior.
Jakeem Grant will be another specialist as he’s going to be their return guy but he was already mentioned in the wide receiver count.