The 2020 NFL Draft class creates some movement on the roster projection front. With at least five of the Browns’ draftees absolute locks to make the 53-man roster, there are some ripple effects up and down the depth chart.
Here is our early stab at the final 53-man roster when the Browns kick off the 2020 NFL season. To keep it more manageable, the offense and defense will be divided up in different posts.
Note: undrafted free agents are only included if they’re officially signed their Browns contracts as of press time.
QB – 2
Starter: Baker Mayfield
Backup: Case Keenum
Bubble: Garrett Gilbert, Kevin Davidson
Gilbert must hope that the new regime values keeping three QBs instead of just two. In his time in Minnesota, new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski only kept two, a status more than half the NFL has adopted lately.
RB – 4
Starters: Nick Chubb, Andy Janovich (FB)
Backup: Kareem Hunt, D’Ernest Johnson
Bubble: Dontrell Hilliard, Johnny Stanton
It might be optimistic to lock in Johnson as the No. 3 RB, but he offers more to the offense than Hilliard or Stanton. Special teams roles will decide the bottom here.
TE – 4
Starters: Austin Hooper, David Njoku
Backup: Harrison Bryant, Stephen Carlson
Bubble: Pharaoh Brown
Expect to see a lot more of two TEs on the field under Stefanski, and packages where three TEs line up. Carlson and Brown will be in a camp battle for the last spot, and don’t be surprised if the team brings in another TE/FB to compete as well.
WR – 6
Starters: Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry
Backups: Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jojo Natson
Bubble: Damion Ratley, D.J. Montgomery, Taywan Taylor, J’Mon Moore, Tony Brown
The starters both topped 1,000 receiving yards a year ago and should continue to flourish under Kevin Stefanski. Higgins gets a shot at redemption as the third wideout after a miserable 2019. Rookie Peoples-Jones should have a clear path to being the No. 4 receiver and could also win the return specialist gig.
Hodge stood out on special teams in his first year in Cleveland and that keeps him safe. Natson will need to win the return job, as he is the least-skilled receiver of the entire bunch. Ratley stands the best chance of the bubble guys.
OL – 9
Starters (L-R): Jedrick Wills, Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter, Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin
Backups: Chris Hubbard, Kendall Lamm, Nick Harris, Drew Forbes
Bubble: Willie Wright, Evan Brown, Colby Gossett, Malcolm Pridgeon
There is little drama with the starting unit, with the possible exception of Teller at right guard. If the Browns were to make a move to upgrade that spot it wouldn’t be a shock.
Hubbard took a pay cut to stick around as the top reserve, and his ability to play either OT spot but also RG makes him valuable. Forbes will stick if he’s healthy as the developmental prospect in his second season. Harris is the only true center (outside of Brown) who can backup Tretter. Lamm could get bumped as the fourth tackle by Wright or a player not currently on the roster.
Total – 25
Roster locks of that group: 22. Don’t expect a lot of shakeup from anyone who will see significant reps during the regular season. The deep backup spots along the line and at wide receiver, tight end and running back are the only real competitions entering the OTA period.
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