On their 53-player roster, the Browns moved Demetric Felton to an already crowded running back room. (Cleveland Browns)
Some surprises among Browns roster moves to 53
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways on Browns initial 53-player roster decisions …
Quarterbacks (2): Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs.
Deshaun Watson moved to the reserve/suspended list. Look for a third QB added to the practice squad.
Running backs (5): Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson, Jerome Ford, Demetric Felton.
Felton has been considered a receiver all year. For some reason, he was moved to an already-crowded running backs room in the official roster announcement.
Wide receivers (5): Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz, David Bell, Michael Woods.
Woods has been out since Aug. 5 with a hamstring injury, so this room could see two additions after waiver claims or a trade.
Tight ends (2): David Njoku, Harrison Bryant.
Obviously, this needs one or two more bodies.
Offensive linemen (10): Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin, Chris Hubbard, James Hudson, Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Michael Dunn, Drew Forbes, Hjalte Froholdt, Ethan Pocic.
Big surprise here was Forbes, of the John Dorsey Class of 2019, surviving an opt-out in 2020 because of the pandemic and a season-ending knee injury in 2021, to knock out Blake Hance for the 10th spot. Truly, the Comeback Player of the Year.
Defensive linemen (10): Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, Taven Bryan, Jordan Elliott, Alex Wright, Chase Winovich, Isaac Rochell, Tommy Togiai, Perrion Winfrey, Isaiah Thomas.
Winovich, who was acquired in a one-for-one swap for linebacker Mack Wilson, has not practiced since Aug. 14 because of a hamstring injury. When healthy, he was on the third team defense.
Linebackers (6): Anthony Walker, Jacob Phillips, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sione Takitaki, Tony Fields, Jordan Kunaszyk.
Looks Kunaszyk squeaked it out over Dakota Allen for the last spot.
Cornerbacks (5): Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II, Greedy Williams, A.J. Green, M.J. Emerson Jr.
No surprises here.
Safeties (5): John Johnson, Grant Delpit, Ronnie Harrison, D’Anthony Bell, Richard LeCounte.
So Bell becomes the first undrafted rookie free agent under GM Andrew Berry to make the initial 53 roster. But LeCounte hangs on to avoid becoming the first Berry free agent released.
Specialists (3): Cade York, Corey Bojorquez, Charley Hughlett.
Returners apparently will be decided by weekly auditions.
Here’s how they got there
Waived (17): Linebacker Dakota Allen, receiver Daylen Baldwin, tight end Miller Forristall, tight end Nakia Griffin-Stewart, guard Blake Hance, receiver Mike Harley, linebacker Willie Harvey, safety Lavert Hill, center Brock Hoffman, cornerback Shaun Jolly, cornerback Herb Miller, tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden, guard David Moore, tackle Alex Taylor, defensive tackle Roderick Perry, fullback Johnny Stanton, receiver/returner Easop Winston.
Terminated Contract (2): Running back John Kelly, quarterback Josh Rosen.
Placed on reserve/suspended by commissioner (1): Quarterback Deshaun Watson.
