3 surprises from Browns initial 53 man roster
By Greg Newland
The Cleveland Browns have set their initial 53-man roster. At a first glance, there are 3 big surprises all on the offensive side of the ball.
Early on Tuesday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns announced their first official 53-man roster as the league year starts. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be multiple changes throughout the regular season, but the first one certainly does mean something.
Two things happen now. One, the Browns have to say goodbye to a lot of talented guys that have worked their tails off the last two months. And two, the front office now needs to evaluate if any other players released to make more sense than their 53-man. Remember, Deshaun Watson is suspended as of Tuesday, so he currently isn’t taking up a roster spot.
There are three big surprises to me on the roster currently. As it stands now, I see the defense as well set. I see weakness at defensive tackle, but don’t expect any changes. You could really see some movement at these three spots.
3 surprises from Browns initial 53-man roster
No. 3 – Depth at Running Back
The only real running back released was John Kelly who had some strong production in the preseason. That means the Browns enter the season with five running backs on the roster.
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will get the bulk of the touches, with Jerome Ford and D’Ernest Johnson as the backups.
The real surprise is seeing Demetric Felton on the roster. He has the ability to play running back or slot receiver, but he isn’t elite at either position. He also struggled to return kicks last season, so that isn’t a great option for him either.
Don’t be shocked to see the Browns make a move with all this talent. I would not be surprised to see a guy like Johnson or even Hunt traded to pick up a guy who can help in another area.