As the Browns inch toward training camp and the calendar turns past the July 4th holiday, it’s a good moment to look back at the first 53-man roster Andrew Berry put together in Cleveland. That group is a reminder of how much can change in a short stretch - and how much uncertainty still hangs over the current roster, especially at quarterback under GM Andrew Berry and new HC Todd Monken.
It also serves as a snapshot of a team that won 11 games, even if the roster itself looks very different now. Of that original group, only CB Denzel Ward is still with the Browns, and plenty of those names are out of the league altogether.
Berry’s first roster in Cleveland broke down like this:
Quarterbacks (2): Case Keenum, Baker Mayfield
Running backs (3): Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson
Fullbacks (1): Andy Janovich
Tight ends (5): Pharaoh Brown, Harrison Bryant, Stephen Carlson, Austin Hooper, David Njoku
Wide receivers (6): Odell Beckham Jr., Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge, Jarvis Landry, JoJo Natson, Donovan Peoples-Jones
Offensive linemen (9): Joel Bitonio, Evan Brown, Jack Conklin, Nick Harris, Chris Hubbard, Kendall Lamm, Wyatt Teller, JC Tretter, Jedrick Wills Jr.
Defensive linemen (8): Eli Ankou, Adrian Clayborn, Jordan Elliott, Myles Garrett, Porter Gustin, Larry Ogunjobi, Sheldon Richardson, Olivier Vernon
Linebackers (6): Tae Davis, B.J. Goodson, Jacob Phillips, Malcolm Smith, Sione Takitaki, Mack Wilson
Defensive backs (10): Ronnie Harrison, Kevin Johnson, Karl Joseph, Terrance Mitchell, Sheldrick Redwine, Andrew Sendejo, M.J. Stewart Jr., Tavierre Thomas, Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams
There’s a clear thread running through that roster: Cleveland leaned on Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and both lines to get to 11 wins. That was the backbone of the season, and it’s why the roster still stands out when you look back at it now.
The individual honors from that year were limited, too. Only Garrett, Chubb, and Bitonio made the Pro Bowl.
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Browns Still Have One Defensive Hole Andrew Berry Cant Ignore
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That search could push Andrew Berry toward the trade market, with former Pro Bowler Kenny Moore II and Denvers JaQuan McMillian among the names being discussed. McMillians situation is especially intriguing because he is under a restricted free agent tender, which could make him available if the Browns are willing to pay up, and Cleveland has the kind of future draft capital that could get a conversation started. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Just Got A New Reason To Believe In Jared Verse
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For Cleveland, that kind of recognition matters because the trade was always about betting on upside and timeline as much as present-day production. Garrett still sits at the top of the position, but Verses profile gives the Browns another reason to believe the move could pay off down the road, especially if his game keeps expanding the way scouts expect. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Gave Browns Fans A New Reason To Doubt Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers is already offering a glimpse of what Pittsburghs offense might look like under Mike McCarthy, and for Browns fans, it sounds a lot like familiar territory. Rodgers said the Steelers will be running mostly the same ideas he and McCarthy used together before, just with different terminology, which matters because Clevelands defense has a track record of making that kind of quick-passing, timing-based attack uncomfortable.
Thats the part Browns fans can latch onto as the teams head into 2026 with new head coaches on both sidelines. Pittsburgh has tried to give Rodgers more help with Michael Pittman Jr. and DK Metcalf, but the bigger questions still hang over an aging quarterback, an unproven offensive line and McCarthys ability to manage it all. Cleveland, even after losing Myles Garrett, still looks built to make the Steelers work for every clean throw, and that should keep this matchup interesting. [Read more 🡒]