Cleveland Browns 53-man roster: Will they/Won't they make it?

On Saturday the final preseason game vs the Seattle Seahawks concluded which only means we are days away from the team revealing who made the final 53-man roster. Below we take a look at who likely will and won't make the cut

Siaki Ika, DT - Won't Make It

2023 third-round pick Siaki Ika already had the deck stacked against him going into this season. After an underwhelming rookie year recording one tackle in four games, he stayed stagnant at the fifth spot on the depth chart. Well, that was until Michael Hall, Jr. was drafted in the second round. No way the Browns are keeping six players at the position considering they only kept four the year prior.

Ika's play on the field this preseason didn't strengthen his case either. He was one of two Browns defensive tackles, out of the seven on the roster, not to record a single pressure on the quarterback. The other was Maurice Hurst, who logged four pass rush snaps compared to Ika's 21. Ika is a traditional nose tackle who struggles to penetrate upfield, which doesn't fit a defensive scheme that requires its defensive tackles to be solid in rushing the passer. It's sad to see a player in their second year get cut, but this seems like a no-brainer all things considered.

Jamari Thrash, WR- Will Make It

It's highly unlikely the Browns were going to part with a draft pick four months after selecting him but Jamari Thrash solidified his spot after impressing the coaches in practices and the preseason games this year.

For years the Browns struggled to get two things consistently from their WRs: yards after catch and chunk plays. In back-to-back preseason games, he provided both. Against Minnesota, he caught a tough pass in traffic breaking two tackles for a 15-yard gain and in the most recent game caught a 46-yard bomb from Dorian Thompson Robinson. Cleveland has been looking for a player that can stretch the defense vertically and Thrash is that player.

Thrash's speed adds a more diverse skillset to this wide receiver room which will justify not just a spot on the final 53-man roster, but also a solid amount of snaps on the field. The way he's able to push vertical, fight for extra yards after the catch, and play multiple positions on the field makes him an absolute lock.

The fact that he's willing to play special teams only adds icing on the cake here. There's a strong possibility fans will see Thrash make some big plays during the regular season.