Browns cutdown day roster takeaways: Receiver upgrade remains priority by any means

BEREA − The deadline for teams to get their rosters down to the league maximum of 53 came and went at 4 p.m. Tuesday. What the Browns looked like at 4:01 p.m. Tuesday isn't going to be what they look like at 1:01 p.m. Sept. 11.

The waiver process will get started this afternoon, which certainly could change the complexion of things. Then, more importantly, remains the potential of general manager Andrew Berry swinging a trade to try to upgrade the roster.

In fact, it almost seems like it's not just potential of that happening, but a high likelihood that it will at some point.

Until those moves happen, though, the Browns' 53-man roster is what it is for now. Much of cutdown day wasn't dramatic considering some of the talent that as been amassed and was considered locks.

Still, there's some takeaways to be had from the day. It starts with the most obvious takeaway of them all.

Receiver remains a position to be addressed before the season starts

Here's where you can read between the lines a bit from who was or wasn't kept Tuesday. Seemingly every receiver who was seen as a possible bubble candidate ended up on the wrong side of the bubble.

Mike Harley Jr. Javon Wims. JaMarcus Bradley. Daylen Baldwin. Easop Winston.

Your mileage may vary on any one or all of those receivers, many of whom also could've returned kicks or punts in Jakeem Grant Sr.'s absence. Some may have tickled your interest more than others, if at all.

The fact none of them made it seems to say Berry isn't, or shouldn't be, done crafting the final look of that room. How he does it and who it is he brings in, if he does at all, is left to be seen.

However, what's not left to be seen is the help that group still needs. The questions that surrounded essentially everyone outside of Amari Cooper − Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, Anthony Schwartz, Michael Woods II and, even though he's listed as a running back, Demetric Felton Jr. − coming into camp remain coming out of it as well.

Maybe those answers are coming in the next few days as the initial 53-man roster turns into the final 53-man roster heading into the opener at Carolina.

D'Anthony Bell is the big winner of cutdown day

At the start of camp D'Anthony Bell's name wasn't a household one at all. It still may not be quite that, but the undrafted rookie out of West Florida certainly made a name for himself to the Browns front office.

Bell went from undrafted to on the initial 53-man roster, something that had not happened previously since Berry took over in 2020. However, Bell's play over the last month made it more and more difficult for the Browns to not keep him as one of their reserve safeties.

During the three preseason games, Bell made play after play, including two forced fumbles. His standing with the team seemed to be showcased on the second defensive play of the finale against Chicago, when he lined up as the third safety alongside Grant Delpit and John Johnson III with the normal No. 3 safety, Ronnie Harrison Jr., sidelined.

Turns out, Bell was one of five safeties the Browns elected to keep on the initial roster. Instead of deciding between he and Richard LeCounte III, they kept both to go with Delpit, Johnson and Harrison.

Johnny Stanton's departure a mild surprise

Surprises were truly few and far between in terms of cuts. Of those, the one which stood out was Johnny Stanton.

It's not that Stanton wasn't viewed as a guy who was on the bubble. It's just that, with his versatility to play both fullback and tight end, he might be valued in that regard.

That was especially true as reports came out about how the Browns were basically cutting every tight end not named David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. Then Stanton's name came out as well, and it makes you wonder if there's another move (O.J. Howard was a name floated by many) on the horizon.

Josh Rosen's departure not a surprise

There was virtually no surprise to see Josh Rosen among the list of names waived. The former top-10 draft pick in 2018 was brought in just before camp, ostensibly to be a camp arm and potentially back up Jacoby Brissett during Deshaun Watson's suspension, which also started at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Well, camp is over and among the developments in it was the play of Joshua Dobbs, who was seen as No. 3 even with Watson out in mid-July. Dobbs clearly grabbed the backup role to Brissett with his play, both in practice and in three preseason games.

That revelation made Rosen expendable. There's still a likelihood that he could return as a practice-squad member, or that the Browns just bring in another option to be No. 3 during the 11 games Watson is out.

Big numbers, mild surprise along both lines

The Browns ended up keeping 10 offensive and 11 defensive linemen. That they kept double digits on both sides isn't really surprising, considering the depth you want to carry up front.

A couple of individual moves, though, did stand out. It was believed that it was going to be an either/or situation between Chase Winovich, who hasn't been on the field in a playing capacity since the preseason opener in Jacksonville, and Isaac Rochell for the last defensive end spot, but instead both remained on the initial roster. Winovich could be a candidate for short-term injured reserve, which would make the move make a little more sense.

There were almost no surprises on the offensive side of the ball. Drew Forbes apparently beat out Blake Hance for the 10th spot, while Michael Dunn's and Hjalte Froholdt's versatility to play center made them valuable commodities.

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns receiving corps upgrade remains priority after cutdown day