Browns Announce Unofficial Depth Chart for Eagles Game

Though teams are required to list a weekly unofficial depth chart before games, there is often very little valuable information to take from them.

On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns released their unofficial depth chart ahead of the team's third preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Let this serve as your weekly reminder that the key word is "unofficial." Teams are required to put out a depth chart but it is often left to an intern on the content team to produce.

On offense, the team lists Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the team's fourth-string quarterback when it's very clear that he is firmly third on the depth chart for the coaches. In addition wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr. is buried on the bottom of the receiver depth chart behind players like Mike Harley Jr.

On defense the errors are even more egregious as they currently list newly acquired defensive tackle as the fourth left defensive tackle. Even worse, the depth chart doesn't even list defensive lineman Sam Kamara (who was listed at DT on the last depth chart) and includes defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour, who was already cut by the Browns after the Harris signing.

The one piece of information that I find interesting is seeing that after placing Jacob Phillips on Injured Reserve, they have moved undrafted free agent linebacker Mohamoud Diabate to MIKE linebacker after being previously listed as a SAM. 

You are far better off looking at snap counts from the previous game to determine a particular player's standing with the team. You can also gather a better feel for depth during the actual game itself this week. The starters and key contributors likely won't play a single snap. With that being said, whether a player is playing in the first quarter or late into the fourth quarter can be a big tell to his chances of making the roster.