Roster cuts are coming for the Cleveland Browns very soon and a bunch of players will be set free to end up with another team.

Part of getting from 90 players down to 53 is identifying who you want to get to your practice squad. There are some stipulations on how you have to build your practice squad, so it has to be done precisely.

Another part of building the practice squad is making sure you have guys you believe can fill in for a player if they need to on the active roster, as well as talent you want to develop.

Here are some stipulations on how the practice squad needs to be done:

• You can have up to 10 players with no more than two accrued seasons.
• Six players can be signed with no limit on accrued seasons.
• Players with no NFL experience are eligible.
• Teams can poach a player from another practice squad by signing them to their active roster. In addition, teams can protect four players a week.
• Teams are able to elevate two players from the practice squad each week without signing them to the active roster. This caps at three times, following that the player has to be signed to the active roster.
• The salaries of practice squad players do not count against the salary cap.

With that being said, I’ve identified 16 players that I think would be smart for the Browns to get to the practice squad.

1. S Ronnie Hickman Jr.
2. WR Mike Harley Jr.
3. DT Tommy Togiai
4. DE Lonnie Phelps
5. QB Kellen Mond
6. RB John Kelly Jr.
7. TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
8. OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
9. CB Caleb Biggers
10. DE Sam Kamara
11. S Tanner McCalister
12. K Lucas Havrisik (Colts)
13. DE Isaiah Thomas
14. G Wes Martin
15. LB Cam Bright
16. CB Lorenzo Burns

Out of these players, Hickman is going to be the toughest to get to the practice squad. I do have the Browns cutting him in my final 53-man prediction but he very well could be signed by another team.

Another interesting development is a kicker to the practice squad. Havrisik is not going to make the Colts roster and has been with Browns special teams coach Bubba Ventrone previously. There is a connection there that makes sense.

This preseason, Phelps has shown some flashes of why he could be an NFL pass rusher. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him on an active roster at some point this season.

Kelly is a Browns’ practice squad veteran at this point. Getting him there would give them a capable running back that I believe could be up on game day if needed.

Cleveland will begin to put their practice squad together this coming week, expect some of these names to find their way there. 

Browns final 53-man roster prediction

With cuts coming, here is one last prediction on the Browns’ 53-man roster.

Featured image via Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports.