Cleveland Browns: 3 takeaways from the initial 53-man roster

The Cleveland Browns joined their NFL brethren on Sunday in cutting their roster down to the initial 53-man squad ahead of the NFL-mandated deadline.

As everyone knows by now, the roster as it stands today is not the roster the Browns will take to Jacksonville in two weeks when they open the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Practice squads to be filled, waiver wires to be scoured for players, and a host of other roster manipulations will take place every week until the season comes to a close.

But it is the roster the Browns have for the moment, so here are three quick observations about the work that general manager Andrew Berry did today.

There was much hand-wringing and discussion about whether or not the Browns would and should keep four quarterbacks on the initial roster. (Let's set aside, for now, that it doesn't really matter how many they keep since none are worthy of being QB1.)

Berry ended up finding a way to keep all four – Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green – in the building for the moment, but that comes with a caveat.

While Watson, Sanders, and Green are on the roster, Gabriel will open the season on the injured reserve list with a back injury, meaning he will miss at least the first four games.

When did Gabriel come down with this injury? Who knows! The last time anyone saw him in action, he lit up the New England Patriots for 186 passing yards and three touchdowns in one half of action in Thursday's preseason finale.

The official word is that Gabriel hurt his back during the game and underwent an MRI on Saturday. So let's go with that for now.

In the end, it is a way for Berry to delay the decision about what to do with the quarterback room for a few more days or weeks. But it could be quite the risk if the Browns end up trading away a quarterback and Green is just one play away from seeing the field while Gabriel is unavailable.

All 10 members of the 2026 NFL Draft class made the initial roster, or at least survived being cut.

The only member not to be on the active roster is tight end Joe Royer, who was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list. Royer has not been with the team all summer, and no one is saying when he might return. But for now, he is still a member of the team.

As for the other nine selections, they all made the squad. Left tackle Spencer Fano, along with wide receivers KC Concepction and Denzel Boston, were always no-brainers. Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren looks to be a key member of the secondary, while offensive lineman Austin Barber may find himself in the starting lineup sooner rather than later.

The rest of the class – center Parker Brailsford, linebacker Justin Jefferson, Green, and tight end Carsen Ryan – will all likely find a way onto the field at some point this fall.

In past years, that would be seen as a sign of weakness or because Berry needs to prove he is the "smartest guy in the room." But after the success of the 2025 draft class, it is another indication that the Browns may finally be on the right path.

The dream is temporarily over for the man from Kent State

It was always going to be hard for wide receiver Luke Floriea to find a roster spot, but that doesn't make the news that he was cut any easier.

Floriea was productive during the preseason, and everyone always likes a story of the local kid working his behind off when given the opportunity.

Hopefully this is not the last we see of Floriea, as a practice squad spot should have his name on it.

What do you say, Browns fans? Were you surprised by the initial roster? Happy? Frustrated? Let everyone know in the comments!