The Browns on Saturday made a handful of roster moves to get their roster down from 65 players to 53. The roster will remain this size throughout the regular season with 46 eligible to play on game days. [
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The following moves were made Saturday.
-- Cleveland acquired WR Sammie Coates and a 2019 seventh-round pick in a trade with the Steelers for a 2018 sixth-round pick.
-- The Browns terminated the contracts of OL John Greco and QB Brock Osweiler
-- There were 11 players waived: RB Terrence Magee, LB Deon King, WR Jordan Payton, WR Jordan Leslie, WR Rannell Hall, TE J.P. Holtz, OL Anthony Fabiano, DL Xavier Cooper, LB Kenneth Olugbode, DB Najee Murray, K Cody Parkey
Nine of the Browns' 10-man 2017 draft class made the 53, including RB Matthew Dayes, who was the second to last pick in the entire draft. The lone member that didn't, DB Howard Wilson, was placed on reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) on Friday.
Twenty-eight of Cleveland's 53 were acquired through the draft, including 20 in the past two classes. Twenty-one of the 53 were new additions to the roster at some point in 2017. Forty-two of the 53 have been added since 2016.
"We have some core guys that we expect, who are not only here now but will be here for a long time, and then adding a lot of fresh young talent to the roster in guys that are competitive and embrace the way we want to build who obviously fit our scheme," Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said. "Year over year we're going to have some opportunities to put some talent on this roster both in free agency and the draft. We obviously had a trade today and we'll be looking at every opportunity to improve the roster moving forward, but we do like we're young and the talent is not only better, but also ascending."
The Browns 53-man roster breaks down as follows:
Offense (25)
Quarterbacks (3): DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan; running backs (3): Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson Jr., Matthew Dayes; fullback (1): Danny Vitale; wide receivers (5): Kenny Britt, Corey Coleman, Sammie Coates, Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins; tight ends (3): Randall Telfer, Seth DeValve, David Njoku; offensive linemen (10): Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio, JC Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, Shon Coleman, Rod Johnson, Marcus Martin, Spencer Drango, Austin Reiter, Zach Sterup
Defense (25)
Defensive linemen (10): Myles Garrett, Danny Shelton, Trevon Coley, Emmanuel Ogbah, Caleb Brantley, Tyrone Holmes, Jamie Meder, Carl Nassib, Larry Ogunjobi, Nate Orchard; linebackers (5): Jamie Collins Sr., Christian Kirksey, Joe Schobert, Dominique Alexander, James Burgess; defensive backs (10): Jamar Taylor, Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Jason McCourty, Marcus Burley, Darius Hillary, Jabrill Peppers, Derrick Kindred, Ibraheim Campbell, Calvin Pryor III, Kai Nacua
The Browns 53-man roster as of September 22, 2018.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield throws a pass against the New York Jets during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Drew Stanton throws during pregame of an NFL football preseason game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (31) rushes during the first half of an NFL football preseason game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde (34) rushes during the first half of the team's NFL football preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) runs the ball against Cincinnati Bengals free safety George Iloka (43) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11) runs away from New York Giants' Orion Stewart (45) and Tae Davis (58) for a touchdown during the second half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins (81) runs a route during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Cleveland. The Jets won 17-14. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) runs a route during an NFL football preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. Buffalo won 19-17. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Damion Ratley warms up before an NFL football preseason game between the Buffalo Bills and the Browns, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Rod Streater catches a ball during practice at the NFL football team's training camp in Pittsford, N.Y., Friday, July 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Derrick Willies warms up before an NFL football preseason game between the Buffalo Bills and the Browns, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns tight end Orson Charles warms up before an NFL football game between the Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns tight end Seth DeValve (87) runs a route during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Cleveland. The Jets won 17-14. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns tight end Darren Fells attempts to make a catch during the team's organized team activity at its NFL football training facility Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) plays against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio (75) plays against Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Chris Smith (94) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
OL Austin Corbett in action against the Buffalo Bills.
In this Aug. 30, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Desmond Harrison (69) defends the line as Detroit Lions defensive end Anthony Zettel (69) rushes during the first half of an NFL football preseason game, in Detroit. The Browns could be shaking up their offensive line again. With the season opener against Pittsburgh just a week away, coach Hue Jackson said Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, that "all avenues" are open with his offensive line, which has been in flux since 10-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas retired after last season. Jackson reiterated he wants the "best five guys out there" and he said undrafted rookie Desmond Harrison could be in the mix. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
OL Chris Hubbard plays in a game against the Buffalo Bills.
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Greg Robinson (78) walks off the field after an NFL football preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. Buffalo won 19-17. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter (64) lines up during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Cleveland. The Titans won 12-9 in overtime. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Arizona Cardinals offensive guard Earl Watford (71) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec.10, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Cleveland Browns offensive guard Kevin Zeitler (70) plays against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Cleveland Browns strong safety Briean Boddy-Calhoun practices before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
DB T.J. Carrie in action during practice at the Browns' facility in Berea.
Cleveland Browns defensive back E.J. Gaines runs through special teams drills during the team's organized team activity at its NFL football training facility Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns strong safety Derrick Kindred (26) lines up during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Cleveland. Cincinnati won 31-7. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Terrance Mitchell returns an interception during NFL football training camp Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ken Blaze)
Cleveland Browns free safety Jabrill Peppers (22) makes an intereption against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
DB Damarious Randall in action against the New York Giants.
Cleveland Browns defensive back Denzel Rice waits on the play during the first half of an NFL football preseason game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Tavierre Thomas (34) during the first half of an preseason NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Denzel Ward (21) watches in the first half of an NFL football preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Trevon Coley (93) plays against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Carl Davis celebrates tackle from the sidelines against the Chicago Bears in the first half at the Pro Football Hall of Fame NFL preseason game, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Canton, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) defends against Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (69) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence (68) walks on the field during training camp at their NFL football training facility in Metairie, La., Friday, July 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Cleveland Browns defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah celebrates a missed field goal by the Tennessee Titans in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi celebrates a sack in the first half of an NFL football preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns defensive end Chris Smith walks to a drill during the team's organized team activity at its NFL football training facility Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns defensive end Chad Thomas (92) walks off the field after an NFL football preseason game agains the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. Buffalo won 19-17. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Detroit Lions defensive end Anthony Zettel (69) lines up against the Cleveland Browns during an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
LB Genard Avery practices at the Browns' facility in Berea.
Cleveland Browns outside linebacker James Burgess (52) rushes the passer during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. The Packers won 27-21 in overtime. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Jamie Collins runs a drill during practice at the NFL football team's training camp facility, Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker D'Juan Hines walks off the field after the team's NFL football practice, Sunday, July 29, 2018, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) lines up during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Cleveland. Cincinnati won 31-7. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Cleveland Browns middle linebacker Joe Schobert (53) drops back during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Cleveland. The Titans won 12-9 in overtime. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Buffalo Bills linebacker Tanner Vallejo in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Miami Dolphins kicker Greg Joseph (5) walks off the field at the NFL football team's training camp, Monday, July 30, 2018, in Davie, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Cleveland Browns long snapper Charley Hughlett covers a punt against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Browns punter Britton Colquitt (4) kicks against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Specialists (3)
Kicker (1): Zane Gonzalez; punter (1): Britton Colquitt; long snapper (1): Charley Hughlett
Areas of note within the 53-man roster include:
-- The Browns enter the season with Kizer, a second-round pick in the 2017 draft, and two second-year signal-callers in Kessler and Hogan in a quarterback room led by Jackson and veteran quarterbacks coach David Lee.
"Our young guys were playing good and we needed to continue to grow them," Browns coach Hue Jackson said. "The only way you can do that is by keeping them on your roster and giving them a chance to keep getting better behind DeShone, who we picked as a starter."
"Wouldn't have probably predicted it would've ended this way but happy because all four of the guys competed," Brown said. "Depending on when we had cut-downs, it could've broke in different ways. But in the end, we really felt good about the three young guys being in the room and it was a difficult decision with Brock because he brings that veteran presence and experience, but do feel good about Cody, Kevin and DeShone."
-- Coates, a third-year receiver acquired in a trade Saturday with the Steelers, is the newest addition to Cleveland's roster. He appeared in 14 games with five starts last season and logged 21 receptions for 435 yards and two touchdowns.
"He's another big, fast athlete," Jackson said. "He has real-time speed, he's made some big plays at Pittsburgh, obviously he gives us another chance to stretch the field, he's a physical blocker at the point of attack, so I think he's an upgrade for our team and he's a good special teams player so we're excited to have him."
-- Cleveland transformed its offensive line during free agency with the additions of Tretter and Zeitler and currently boasts 10 players in a room led by veteran coach Bob Wylie. Bitonio and Johnson are both dealing with injuries.
"Hopefully we'll get some guys back here real soon, but I think it's an area we've improved," Jackson said. "Obviously, I think our inside three is as strong as we've been in a while and I think our tackles are improving. When you talk about Joe Thomas, you're talking about one of the best in pro football. So we feel good about our line but again, it's a great situation with the additions that we put on the team."
-- The Browns parted ways with one of their longest-tenured players in Greco, who had been with the team since 2011. Greco started 56 games and filled a valuable role as a versatile interior lineman.
"John was a warrior throughout, played multiple positions and we have a tremendous respect for him as a person and as a Cleveland Browns player on the field as well," Brown said. "So we wish him nothing but the best of luck moving forward so I'm sure we'll see him out there on the field this fall."
-- Following Wednesday's release of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden, the Browns kept 10 defensive backs who are expected to play multiple roles in a Gregg Williams defense that demands versatility and flexibility.
"There were some tough decisions there that had to be made and we've made those," Jackson said. "I feel like it's a group that has a veteran presence in Jamar and Jason and there's a young player in Boddy-Calhoun who I feel like has some real talent. We're always looking to improve but I feel good about the guys we have."
-- Gonzalez, a seventh-round pick out of Arizona State, emerged as the winner of a tightly contested kicker competition with Parkey, who served as Cleveland's kicker for the majority of 2016.
"We could've went either way to be very honest with you because Cody has done some good things here, but Zane came in and proved that we did a great job in making the selection in drafting him," Jackson said. "He held his own, guy obviously nailed a 53-yarder the other night (in Chicago) and he's done a great job thus far in camp and kicks the ball out of the end zone whenever we need him to do so."
-- The Browns hold first priority among all NFL teams on waiver claims. Last year, Cleveland claimed five players, including three who made this year's 53-man roster, one day after rosters were trimmed to 53.
"You never quite know. Waivers and claiming a player sounds really nice but you don't have a familiarity you have versus a guy you're going to have to get rid of on your roster, so there's some risk involved," Brown said. "We do a lot of diligence, our pro groups are always tremendously well-prepared and organized so it'll be a long night and morning but hopefully we can find some young guys who can help us on our roster."
