This Saturday, the Cleveland Browns will wrap up the (incredibly and painfully long) preseason with a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The defending Super Bowl Champions will provide the Browns with a tough test, and it comes on the heels of a week of practicing with the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Once their final exhibition game is in the books, head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry will get to work on trimming down their roster to 53 players. In doing so, they might decide to see if they can get something of value for these four players while they make their moves.
4. Jordan Elliott, Defensive Tackle
It wasn't that long ago when it seemed Jordan Elliott would be a starter — and it felt as though his position on the 53-man roster was a lock.
Elliott and Harrison Bryant each renegotiated deals with the Browns, converting some of their salary into guaranteed money. This helped the team by lowering their overall hit but providing the players with security as well.
Of course, doing this came with a risk, and in the end, the Browns might have to fork out some money while saying goodbye to Elliott.
The former third-round pick has fallen out of favor after a poor showing in the Hall of Fame Game. Cleveland quickly signed Shelby Harris after Elliott struggled against their reserves. That move meant Elliott would be a backup himself, but he has yet to stand out in this role either.
Perhaps a change of scenery would help him and it's a safe bet that someone else will give him a shot. The Browns might try and salvage something for Elliott, especially since they're going to be stuck paying him now.
3. Nick Harris, Center
Entering the 2022 season, the Browns were ready to start Nick Harris at center. They had just released J.C. Tretter in a cap-saving move and were expecting big things from the Washington product.
Unfortunately, his season ended before it began. Harris suffered a knee injury on their second snap of the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars and was out for the year.
Ethan Pocic, who was signed away from the Seattle Seahawks, wound up taking over and was an excellent fit. He finished as one of the top centers in the league according to Pro Football Focus. Pocic was rewarded with a three-year extension for his efforts, making him the No. 1 center for the next few seasons in Cleveland.
Harris is now healthy and has done well so far in the preseason. He would be a fine No. 2 but the Browns also added Luke Wypler out of Ohio State in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wypler has been working at guard during the offseason but his natural spot remains in the middle of the line.
Should the Browns decide he's ready to be the primary backup, they could elect to see if anyone would be interested in adding Harris, who is in the final year of his deal, as a potential starter. This could be a win-win allowing Harris to play this season and the Browns would get something in return rather than watch him leave in the 2024 offseason.
2. Harrison Bryant, Tight End
A fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Florida Atlantic, Harrison Bryant is one of the better No. 3 tight ends in the NFL. In three seasons with the Browns, he has 76 receptions for 710 yards with seven touchdowns. He's never had fewer than 21 receptions in a season or under 233 yards.
He did have a shot at being the TE2 last year and while his numbers were down, the offense was also limited with Jacoby Brissett under center. Brissett was a fan favorite, but he wasn't exactly pushing the ball downfield very often.
Looking ahead to 2023, the Browns should have a stronger focus on the aerial attack and that will mean more wide receivers will be on the field. It should also mean fewer sets with two tight ends, and it's probably going to be rare they go with three of them.
That means Bryant's not likely to see the field as much this season. Like others on this list, he's entering the final year of his deal and has the skill set to do more than will be asked of him in Cleveland. The Browns also have a potential replacement in Miller Forristall, who has been playing well in the preseason.
Bryant might not get the Browns a lot in terms of trade compensation but it could help them stockpile a few late-round picks in 2024 while not having a major impact on their game plan this year.
1. A.J. Green, Cornerback
Originally undrafted out of Oklahoma State, A.J. Green signed with the Browns in 2020 and earned a hefty guarantee in the process. Cleveland believed in Green enough to guarantee $145,000 of his contract, which was the most for any undrafted rookie that season.
He was released but then added back via the practice squad. By his second year, however, he was a regular contributor in their defense.
Green now enters his fourth season with 31 appearances and two starts. He has 39 tackles, seven pass defenses, and two interceptions to his name. But he's also buried on a very talented depth chart.
Cleveland currently has Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, Martin Emerson, Mike Ford, and Cameron Mitchell on their roster. That pushes Green to the edge of the bubble and he could very well be a casualty when the 53-man roster is announced.
If he is released, there's a chance he could be retained on the practice squad once again. But there's also a chance someone will bring him in since he has the talent to play.
Rather than lose him for nothing, the Browns might want to see if a cornerback-needy team is willing to part with some draft capital in exchange for the fourth-year pro.