Updated Browns 53-man roster projection after 2nd preseason game vs. Philadelphia Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — The Browns added an evaluation data point Aug. 16 with the second game of the preseason schedule against the Philadelphia Eagles. That came on the heels of two joint practices with those same Eagles earlier in the week.

Those three additional data points will be used in the continued evaluation of the players on the current 90-man roster. Eventually that roster will be cut down to the initial 53-man roster Aug. 26.

Those data points are also being used here in yet another roster projection where there's some changes to be made. There's been multiple of these already: Post-minicamp in June, pre-training camp in July, after nine training camp practices and after the preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers.

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Let's dive in and see how we see the initial 53-man roster after preseason game No. 2:

Cleveland Browns roster projection

Quarterbacks (4)

• Starter: Joe Flacco
• Backups: Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders
• What to know: This remains Flacco's job to lose, or just have coach Kevin Stefanski actually pull the trigger on the announcement. The injuries at the position seem to cloud it so much that four on the initial roster just feels like it's likely.

Wide receivers (6)

• Starter: Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman
• Backups: DeAndre Carter, Jamari Thrash, Kaden Davis, Isaiah Bond
• What to know: Bond, who arrived in Cleveland over the weekend to sign a three-year deal, immediately jumps into the mix. Why? Because there's no way the Browns absorb that public-relations hit only to cut him in a week and hope he passes through waivers. That might mean bad news for training camp favorite Gage Larvadain, who certainly is in the mix. However, he's also someone the Browns probably believe they can slip through waivers and bring back to the practice squad. Diontae Johnson is one if it goes to seven wide receivers kept, which feels like too many. Carter's presence as primarily a return specialist, but who has gotten plenty of training camp run at wide receiver, complicates the math.

Running backs (3)

• Starter: Dylan Sampson
• Backups: Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr.
• What to know: Even with Quinshon Judkins' not facing charges anymore in Florida, there's still a likely NFL discpline to deal with here. There feels like plenty of fluidity beyond these three, although Strong's high usage against the Eagles leaves some questions. Ahmani Marshall runs hard when he gets the ball, which could endear him as RB4. Marshall could also leap Strong into the last running back kept.

Tight ends (3)

• Starter: David Njoku
• Backups: Harold Fannin Jr., Blake Whiteheart
• What to know: Feels like three on the initial 53.

Offensive line (10)

• Starter: Dawand Jones, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin
• Backups: Cornelius Lucas, Teven Jenkins, Jackson Barton, Luke Wypler, Zak Zinter
• What to know: Nothing really has changed here. Jason Ivey could be an option depending on the nature of Lucas' ankle injury suffered against Philadelphia.

Cornerbacks (5)

• Starter: Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II
• Backups: Cameron Mitchell, Myles Harden, Chigozie Anusiem
• What to know: Martin Emerson Jr.'s season-ending injury opens the door for a young cornerback to make it as one of the five. Which one grabs the opportunity is still to be seen. It could be a veteran-type like Tony Brown or Nik Needham, or it could be a young guy like Dom Jones.

Safeties (5)

• Starter: Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman
• Backups: Damontae Kazee, Rayshawn Jenkins
• What to know: This might be the place the Browns pull from if they need to free up a spot to keep a sixth cornerback or fourth running back or something like that. It also feels like a very fluid space behind Delpit and Hickman. Kazee and Jenkins are both veterans who could find a way to stick around, while Christopher Edmonds has received a lot of run of late.

Linebackers (5)

• Starter: Carson Schwesinger, Mohmoud Diabate, Devin Bush
• Backups: Jerome Baker, Nathaniel Watson
• What to know: Bush is listed here for now, but his legal trouble in Pennsylvania could get him placed on the Commissioner's Exempt list at the start of the season. Five feels like the number of linebackers they keep, but it's a constant push-and-pull between Watson and Winston Reid as that fifth guy. Going to stick with Watson again. Diabate's injury situation is one to watch closely.

Defensive ends (5)

• Starter: Myles Garrett, Isaiah McGuire
• Backups: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Alex Wright, Cameron Thomas
• What to know: Special teams could play a role in who stays or who goes. Also could be a place where the Browns find a spot in order to get someone else on somewhere else.

Defensive tackles (4)

• Starter: Mason Graham, Maliek Collins
• Backups: Shelby Harris, Sam Kamara
• What to know: Mike Hall Jr.'s likely to start the season on the physically unable to perform list. Jowon Briggs continues to be DT5 if they kept him.

Kicker (1)

• Starter: Dustin Hopkins
• Backups: None
• What to know: Nothing about the preseason will change Hopkins' status on this team. There's too much money invested.

Punter (1)

• Starter: Corey Bojorquez
• Backups: None
• What to know: Bojorquez is the only punter on the roster. Not too hard to figure this out.

Long snapper (1)

• Starter: Rex Sunahara
• Backups: None
• What to know: The Bay Village native who took over last year beats out rookie Brett Matiscik for the long-snapping job. Matiscik's bad snap on the first point-after try against Philadelphia didn't help his cause.

Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns 53-man roster projection: Coming off preseason game No. 2