3 Cleveland Browns candidates to be cut going into the summer

Over the past several years general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski have worked to rebuild the Cleveland Browns roster. They've done well enough that Stefanski has won the NFL Head Coach of the Year Award two times in four seasons and their roster was deep enough to go through five quarterbacks and still make the playoffs.

The one downfall to having a deep roster is when promising players have to be released. That will be the case again this year and here are three Browns who could wind up being cut by the time training camp is done. Cleveland would love to bring each of these players back to their practice squad to continue developing their talent but they would all have to clear waivers first.

3. James Hudson III, OT

A former defensive lineman, James Hudson III red-shirted during his freshman year with Michigan as he learned his new position. He played in just three games the following year and then transferred to Cincinnati where he spent the next two seasons. Hudson was a starter for just one season before declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft where the Browns added him as a fourth-round pick.

Hudson was raw but had the traits needed to play the position. He was asked to play earlier than expected, starting four games as a rookie due to injuries on the offensive line. That's been the theme throughout his career as Hudson has 14 starts in 45 appearances.

Despite the playing time he's received, Hudson hasn't developed much. He still struggled in 2023 with nine penalties while giving up four sacks in just 556 snaps.

Once the primary swing tackle, Hudson was replaced as the backup right tackle by rookie Dawand Jones last year. He was still the primary option behind Jedrick Wills but that might not be the case with Hakeem Adeniji on the roster now. That might be enough to push Hudson off the roster.