4 Cleveland Browns Players On Roster Bubble Before Preseason Finale

The Browns wrap up their preseason with a prime time matchup against the Seattle Seahawks next Saturday

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) celebrates after the Browns beat the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski always says he'd like to keep everyone that's on the roster right now. That simply isn't allowed though and in a little over a week from now he and Andrew Berry will shave Cleveland's 90-man roster down to the required 53-man version ahead of the regular season.

Roster cutdown day is never an easy process and the Browns will have some very difficult decisions to make. As Cleveland enters the final week of the preseason here are four players still positioned on the bubble and looking for a good week of practices to earn one of those 53 spots.

1) Michael Woods II, WR

What we know right now is that the top four wide receiver spots are firmly secured by Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman. The big question is whether or not the Browns will keep seven wide receivers this year instead of six, given then change in offensive scheme calling for more receivers to be on the field at any given time. If it's seven, Woods may make the cut, but even then he's got some competition.

Jamari Thrash has had a couple really solid preseason games and is a 2024 draft pick. He seems on a path towards making the 53. David Bell is interesting because the franchise remains pretty high on him but his quad injury could make them reconsider that stance if others stand out this week. I think ultimately he makes the roster. That leaves one spot for Woods, Jaelon Darden, James Proche II and Ahmarean Brown. Darden and Brown have flashed during camp. Proche II has some added value as a special teamer. It's an interesting situation to monitor going into the final week of camp.

2) Justin Hardee Sr., CB

There have been too many standout performances in the secondary this camp for Hardee to be easily on this roster. Kahlef Hailassie seems poised to make this team as he's been the next man up filling in for Denzel Ward while he's been going through the concussion protocol.

Hardee is a great story and a Cleveland native and there's no denying he'd be a great addition to the locker room. He's also a very good special teams contributor which may be the thing that allows him to make the roster in the end. But for now he enters the final week of practice needing to cement his spot on the 53.

The Browns have generally only kept six corners, which will make for some very tough decisions if they follow that trend. Newsome's injury situation could allow the Browns to keep someone like Hailassie though, if he starts the season with an injury designation.

3) Siaki Ika, DT

I'm not sure I've mentioned Ika's name once during practice or one of the preseason games. There just hasn't been much to see from the 2023 third-round pick and in an extremely deep position group he's probably on the outside looking in right now. He needs a really good week of practice if he's going to make this roster and that's saying something because it's rare that Berry parts ways with day two picks so soon.

Kevin Stefanski has 9 more days to mull over a key decision for #Browns star running back Nick Chubb https://t.co/fDCpoZtzdH

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4) Nyheim Hines, RB

When push comes to shove Hines probably makes the roster because with Nick Chubb likely starting the season on the PUP list they could use that freed up spot to keep four RBs. He's also expected to be a major player in the Browns return game as well, something special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone has mentioned several times. But the fact that Hines hasn't practiced yet isn't ideal. The best ability is availability, right?

Also not helping his cause is the fact the Pierre Strong Jr. has had a really solid camp and has a very similar role as Hines. The South Dakota State product can be a pass catching back out of the backfield, can play out of the slot and returns kicks. There's also the fact that aside from a $500,000 signing bonus the remaining $1.495 million of Hines deal isn't guaranteed. That's not a ton of savings if the Browns were to move on but every bit counts.