5 Cleveland Browns who could get cut after the 2023 NFL Draft

With roughly one week until the 2023 NFL Draft begins, the Cleveland Browns are prepared to round out their roster. They have eight selections currently but could look to make a few moves during the weekend.

Whatever they end up doing, there are several players who could find themselves out of a job once the dust settles. Here, we look at five such veterans who might be on the way out after the draft.

Browns cut candidate No. 5: Demetric Felton, RB/WR

There's a belief the Browns will add a running back in this class and it would make sense to do so. This current group is pretty talented and while there aren't many top-heavy talents outside of Bijan Robinson, there are plenty of running backs who could become factores in the NFL.

Players such as Roschon Johnson, Tyjae Spears, and Israel Abanikanda are just a few names that could be there late on day two or even early day three for the taking.

Cleveland has the luxury of turning to Nick Chubb as their primary back and they have high hopes for Jerome Ford who is entering year two. Still, competition is a good thing and they'll likely bring in someone who can push Demetric Felton.

A former sixth-round pick, Felton has spent more time at wide receiver than running back but that room is even more crowded. That means his best shot at making the roster is as RB3 but that might not happen if a rookie is added to the mix.

Browns cut candidate No. 4: Tommy Togiai, DT

A former Ohio State Buckeye, Tommy Togiai was an instant fan-favorite. A fourth-round pick in 2021, fans that follow both OSU and Cleveland were excited to see what he could do at the next level. And the Browns were in need of help at defensive tackle, so that made his arrival that much more interesting.

Unfortunately, after two seasons in the league, Togiai hasn't been exactly lighting the world on fire. He appeared in six games as a rookie and had 16 tackles and a half-sack. Then in 2022, he played in twice as many games and even had two starts, but finished with just 13 tackles and a half-sack.

As bad as the numbers were, the real issue with Togiai was his performance against the run. He was graded at just 37.3 overall in 2022 by PFF and had a 37.8 against the run which was 124th of 143 defensive linemen they ranked.

Cleveland went out and upgraded their defensive tackle position this offseason when they signed Dalvin Tomlinson. They also made sure to get some more depth with the addition of Trysten Hill and Maurice Hurst, Jr. They've even visited with Al Woods, showing they're not done just yet.

Looking ahead to the draft, the Browns recently had Gervon Dexter in for a visit and if they add him, or any other defensive tackle, that could be bad news for Togiai.

Browns cut candidate No. 3: Harrison Bryant, TE

When Austin Hooper was released before the 2022 campaign, it was a chance for Harrison Bryant to prove his worth. He was elevated into the TE2 role behind David Njoku (who just signed a huge extension) and after two solid seasons as the third guy on the depth chart, the expectations were high.

Unfortunately, Bryant struggled in 2022. While he did have a career-high in receptions (31) and yards (239), he was still good for just 7.7 yards per reception. He also had three touchdowns in each of his previous seasons and managed only one last year.

As of now, he looks to be back as the TE3 at best. Jordan Akins, who has a rapport with Deshaun Watson already due to their time together in Houston, was signed this offseason. Akins is a solid pass-catching tight end and even though his arrival has been overlooked, he should be a contributor this season.

For Bryant, he would be fine if they went into the season with the roster as is. However, this is a class that's loaded at tight end. Cleveland could add players such as Zack Kuntz from Old Dominion or Payne Durham from Purdue in the mid-rounds or even Penn state's Brenton Strange in the later rounds. Any of those players would likely push Bryant out the door.

Browns cut candidate No. 2: Kellen Mond, QB

A former third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings, Kellen Mond was released in 2022, which was just his second season in the NFL. Cleveland claimed him on waivers and had him as their No. 3 quarterback all season.

He was behind Jacoby Brissett and Josh Dobbs for 12 weeks and then when Deshaun Watson returned from his suspension, it was Mond who kept his job as Dobbs was let go. Since then, Dobbs has returned while Brissett headed to Washington.

That means Mond is likely the third quarterback once again but he's not guaranteed a spot. Cleveland does seem willing to keep three signal-callers but they're also kicking the tires on several prospects.

So far, they've had UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Fresno State's Jake Haener, and Houston's Clayton Tune come in as pre-draft visits.

If any of them are added, it could put Mond on the bubble — and he would likely have his work cut out for him to beat out Dobbs as the No. 2 guy, which is what he would have to do in order to make the roster. Dobbs, who played well for Tennessee to close out the 2022 campaign, signed a guaranteed $2 million deal, so the Browns would save nothing by cutting him.

That seems to suggest his spot is safe, whereas Mond might not be should one of those rookies head to Northeast Ohio.

Browns cut candidate No. 1: Anthony Schwartz, WR

This one might sound like a broken record at this point.

Anthony Schwartz was a victim of being over-drafted, which has hurt his chances of developing in the NFL. Taken at No. 91 overall in 2021, he was expected to step in and produce from day one — but he shouldn't have had to do this.

Schwartz was an exciting prospect thanks to his insane 4.27 time in the 40-yard dash. But he was still a track star learning the ropes as a receiver. He needed time but the Browns put him on the field in Week 1 and while he delivered in that game, it's been downhill ever since.

In two seasons, Schwartz has just 14 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown as well as 96 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. He's credited with just three drops in two seasons but it sure felt like more than that, largely because he seemed to drop everything that came his way in the preseason.

Looking ahead to 2023, Schwartz is already falling down the depth chart. Clearly, Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and Donovan Peoples-Jones are ahead of him. It would stand to reason that David Bell is as well and that means if a draft pick is used on a wideout, Schwartz could fall to sixth on the depth chart — and that's not counting Jakeem Grant who might get time as a receiver in addition to his return duties.

At this point, it feels as though Schwartz is only making this team if there are several injuries.