The Cleveland Browns completed their mandatory cuts to get to the limit of 53 players,but I wouldn't sleep too soundly if I were some players on the roster as the Browns still have the top waiver claim until the end of week three due to their 1-15 record last season and they will be actively scanning the waiver wire.
For the purposes of this,I'll be including the players that the Browns released on Friday as well with the Saturday cuts.
Sashi Brown's bunch made a commitment that they are going to believe in their draft picks and give them every chance to succeed,which I have no problem with in most cases-IF this is a case of thinking their pick is a equal or better player currently or even projected a bit.
However,if this is a case of ego in keeping the lesser player in order to cover their rear for the time being (as in not wanting to take heat for draftees being released),then that is a character flaw that will be soon shown....
Quarterback Brock Osweiler was the biggest name released and I think much of the reason that Osweiler was released was because of the decision to start DeShone Kizer.
The Browns saw how Osweiler had issues sitting on the bench in Houston last season and with two (now three ) young quarterbacks in-house,wanted to avoid such poisoning in the locker room.
I don't think the Browns are thrilled with three quarterbacks on their roster that have never won a NFL start and would have liked a veteran around,but it doesn't appear that one is going to fall into their lap and Osweiler wasn't going to be the mentoring type that they preferred...
On this decision,I'm OK...
I thought John Greco was the biggest mistake that the Browns made,which is why I used Greco's picture.
Sidebar-Have you noticed that I use the old uniform pictures as much as possible and the amount of players in the old uniforms are dwindling quickly.
Greco is 32,so he isn't the type of guy that might be around when this turns around,but still he can play all three positions on the line and brings some veteran moxie.
I like Spencer Drango,who the Browns kept and I see why they kept the younger player,but I would have found a way to keep Greco in town.'
I thought that the Browns had two good young kickers in incumbent Cody Parkey,who rallied with a strong year after a first game that was terrible, and seventh rounder Zane Gonzalez from Arizona State.
I thought the Browns would keep Gonzalez in a pickem battle and they did so.
I'm fine with that choice and I would have given Gonzalez the close nod,if I were making the choices.
The Browns released Jordan Leslie,who played well in preseason and 2016 fifth rounder Jordan Payton to keep other 2016 draftees Ricardo Louis (who has tools,but not hands) and Rashard Higgins (who has hands,but never seems to get a chance to play).
I liked what I saw from Leslie,but I bet that either Louis or Higgins or possibly even both will be gone as two players that looked terrific in preseason elsewhere were surprisingly cut and I hope the Browns claim both.
I've watched Austin Carr (with a name like that doesn't he have to be in Cleveland?) play for years with Northwestern and he's the type of tough little receiver in the slot that does nothing but produce that good teams need and bad teams usually lack.
I would love to see Carr claimed and Kasen Williams had a tremendous preseason in Seattle and looks to have put injuries from his Washington Huskies days behind him.
Plus Richard Sherman was furious about his release and since Sherman spends his time in practice covering wide receivers,I think Williams is definitely a must have.
The only other player that didn't make the team that might have caught eyebrows was defensive tackle Xavier Cooper,a 3rd round pick from the Ray Farmer era.
Cooper isn't a bad player,but the defensive line is the group that has the most depth and to be honest,I don't really see a player at defensive tackle that I'd keep Cooper over and I'd rather keep Nate Orchard and hope his pass rushing skills come around at defensive end.
It'll be interesting to see just how active the Browns are in claiming players and how many players that are still less than comfortable tonight...
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