The Browns are closing in on cutdown day, and a couple of roster decisions could get uncomfortable fast.
Cleveland has to get to a 53-man roster by August 30, which means the preseason is over and the trimming starts now. The first-stringers sat out the Browns’ 37-13 win over the New England Patriots in the final preseason game, and the attention now shifts to the season opener on September 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns are trying to snap a three-year streak without an opening-day win, with their last one coming on September 10, 2023, in a 24-3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Some names already feel safe for Week 1. Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell are among the players expected to be in place when the opener arrives. But not every spot is settled, especially at wide receiver and quarterback.
At receiver, Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Isaiah Bond are locked in, which leaves the final two spots in a tight battle. Gage Larvadain, Tylan Wallace and Luke Floriea are fighting for those openings, and Larvadain now looks like one of the players who could be squeezed out. He has shown an ability to make something happen as both a receiver and return man, but that kind of playmaking can come with risk, especially when the moment gets tight.
Floriea has made his case by being steady throughout camp. He’s created separation with sharp footwork at speed, won at the catch point and shown reliable hands, with very few catchable balls hitting the turf.
The other surprise casualty could be Dillon Gabriel. After a nightmare season last year, his roster spot always looked shaky, and with a crowded quarterback room around him, his time with the Browns appears to be running out.
Gabriel did turn in a strong performance against the Patriots, going 12-for-15 for three touchdowns and posting a QBR of 157.9. That showing led some Browns fans to call for the team to keep their third-string quarterback and trade Watson, who remains at loggerheads with the fanbase.
Some fans have even wanted Shedeur Sanders traded, which would leave just Taylen Green as safe in that group. Still, Gabriel’s uneven preseason - outside of the Patriots game - and last year’s disastrous campaign make it hard to see a path for him.
In Other News...
Browns Put Patriots On The Ropes With A First Half Statement
The Browns spent the first half making their point against New England, building a 27-13 lead that had Cleveland in control well before the break. The offense found a steady rhythm with a mix of touchdowns and field goals, and Luke Floriea was among the names helping keep the pressure on while the Patriots worked to answer with their own touchdown and a pair of kicks from Andy Borregales.
For a Browns team looking to set the tone early, the bigger question was whether that sharp opening could hold up after halftime. Patriots quarterback Behren Morton still had enough time to chip away at the deficit, but Cleveland had already done the hard part by turning its first-half chances into separation, leaving the rest of the afternoon to hinge on whether the Patriots could find a way back into it. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sent A Strong Message In Final Roster Crunch
A preseason game can tell you plenty about the team on the scoreboard, and the Browns 37-13 win over the Patriots did exactly that. Cleveland played with more depth and more polish, and New England coach Mike Vrabel came away pointing to a familiar late-summer problem for any roster on the bubble: whether the backups are ready when the real games start.
For Cleveland, it was the kind of performance that can matter in a final roster crunch, because these are the games that help separate players who merely survive camp from those who make a case to stick. The Patriots, meanwhile, were left to sort through coverage issues in the secondary and other depth concerns as the regular season gets closer, which only adds to the sense that every spot on the bottom of the roster is still very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Made Their Quarterback Problem Even Tougher To Solve
The Browns walked out of their preseason finale with a win, but the more interesting takeaway was what it did to the quarterback room. Cleveland now has four passers in the mix with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green all competing for roster spots, and the final game only made the evaluation more complicated. Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green both put together encouraging showings, giving the staff even more to weigh as the regular season approaches.
Cleveland is expected to cut that group from four to three, which turns a crowded depth chart into a tricky late-summer decision. Watsons standing is established, but Sanders, Gabriel and Green are all making the case to stick around, and the Browns now have to decide whether to keep carrying extra young talent or start narrowing the room before the opener. For a team still searching for clarity under center, the preseason did not make the answer any simpler. [Read more 🡒]