Let’s put on our general manager and/or head coach cap for a minute, and try and figure out what the Cleveland Browns brain trust might be, in terms of finalizing the offensive players for the 53-man roster ahead of the regular-season opener on September 13 in Jacksonville. We have also projected the defensive players to make the 53-man roster.
The rosters will be cut down to size before the end of the month, and a few of the cuts are already starting to trickle in. The Browns even had one guy waived, and he elected to go back to play college football. That’s a first. Let’s project, and have a little fun, and see where this goes.
Deshaun Watson Obviously Leads Quarterbacks
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The starting quarterback battle was highly publicized, with Deshaun Watson eventually being named as the starter over Shedeur Sanders on Monday. It ended months of speculation on what the team might do.
The battle for the No. 3 job is equally interesting, as it seems extremely unlikely the team keeps four quarterbacks again. Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green battle for the clipboard, and each will see time in the preseason game Thursday against the New England Patriots, with Gabriel starting, and Green presumably seeing the second-half snaps, his first of the preseason.
Projection (3): Watson, Sanders, Green with Gabriel traded for picks
Quinshon Judkins Leads Talented Running Backs Room
Running back Quinshon Judkins is making his way back from a major injury, but he has been available in training camp, and appears ready to resume as the No. 1 once the regular season gets underway.
The backup battle is interesting, but Dylan Sampson looks to be fully in charge of that job, with Raheim Sanders likely to be the third guy in line. In addition, Michael Burton is likely a lock to make it as a fullback.
That leaves Ahmani Marshall and Davon Booth likely on the outside looking in. The latter has had a strong camp and preseason, and likely is bound for the practice squad.
Projection (4): Judkins, Sampson, Sanders, Burton, Booth (practice squad)
Jerry Jeudy Still Tops the Charts, but he has Company
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Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is still considered the top option in Cleveland, but he has plenty of company in a talented receivers’ room.
The team selected KC Concepcion in the first round, and Denzel Boston in the second round, and both players, while green, have shown considerable growth during the summer and into the preseason. It remains to be seen if either will be a star, per se, but the Browns appear to have mined two gems for the 2026 season, and each are projected as starters.
It gets foggy after that. Malachi Corley, Gage Larvadain and Tylan Wallace are useful options on special teams and/or in the return game, so it is likely all three will find their way onto the final roster. It’s hard to imagine Isaiah Bond not being on the team, either, although he is not as much of a certainty. He is in the concussion protocol this week, and could be facing a visit from the turk. We’ll give him the nod, though, over Cedric Tillman, who we can see getting dealt, perhaps to the Atlanta Falcons to reunite with former coach Kevin Stefanski.
Projection (7): Jeudy, Concepcion, Boston, Corley, Larvadain, Wallace, Bond with Tillman either waived or traded for picks
Harold Fannin Jr. is Just Getting Started
The Browns did well drafting tight end Harold Fannin Jr. last season, and he quickly emerged as a vital part of the offense. His emergence made the popular David Njoku expendable, and he is now plying his trade with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The team brought in Jack Stoll, and he is a tremendous blocking tight end who might be on the bubble. The Browns will need to decide between seventh-round pick Carsen Ryan and Stoll for the 53-man roster. Stoll’s veteran leadership likely wins out.
Projection (3): Fannin Jr., Blake Whiteheart, Stoll, Ryan (practice squad)
New-look Offensive Line Takes Shape
The Browns focused heavily on the offensive line in the offseason, and it’s likely to keep at least 10 players, if not 11. Versatility is key.
Elgton Jenkins was signed to be the center, the team traded for Tytus Howard from the Houston Texans, locking up the right tackle, and Zion Johnson was given big money to be the left guard. Rookie Spencer Fano was a top-10 pick on draft day, and he will be the left tackle. Teven Jenkins was re-signed, and he will be the right guard.
Austin Barber, Parker Brailsford, Dawand Jones, the former Ohio State Buckeye, Kingsley Eguakun, Luke Wypler and Zak Zinter are all likely to be carried. Kendrick Green is on reserve/injured, and the shaky KT Leveston is likely out of a job, as is Jeremiah Byers and Izavion Miller.
Projections (11): E. Jenkins, T. Jenkins, Z. Johnson, S. Fano, Howard, Barber, Brailsford, Da. Jones, Eguakun, Wypler, Zinter
