Kevin Stefanski Provides Ominous Update On Browns Notable Offseason Addition

The Cleveland Browns will trim their roster from 90 to 53 players by August 23

Aug 10, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Roster cutdown day is only a week away and the Cleveland Browns will have to make some tough decisions at a few positions in order to shape the first version of the 53-man roster.

The process always comes with some surprise cuts as some players who maybe once were considered locks to make the roster end up on the outside looking in. After signing a one-year deal with the Browns this offseason that's the situation veteran running back Nyheim Hines could find himself in.

On Tuesday, prior to the team's 15th day of training camp practice head coach Kevin Stefanski provided a bit of an ominous update on the status of Hines.

Kevin Stefanski said last week that Deshaun Watson would play in the #Browns preseason finale. This week he's still taking in information before making that decision official https://t.co/d8xz3yMfve

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) August 20, 2024

"He's working very hard, I don't have a date for you with Nyheim," Stefanski said. "Works extremely hard, I get to watch him work but he's doing well and progressing well."

Hines opened up training camp on the PUP list back on July 25 and has yet to be activated off the list and join his teammates on the field. Back in May when Hines spoke during Browns OTA's he estimated that his recovery timeline would have him ready when the calendar flipped to August.

“You guys will not see me out here for OTA’s during practice," Hines said. "I should be ready to go for minicamp. The goal is to be ready right around August 1 or end of July, depending on how my leg comes around, but goal is to be out there for Week One.”

It's fair to now question if even that goal is even attainable for the 27-year-old, considering he has yet to practice. That fact also makes him a potential roster cutdown casualty for Cleveland.

The Browns have a pretty deep running back room as is, headlined by Nick Chubb who is coming back from a serious knee injury of his own. Behind him though Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman seem likely to make the roster. Pierre Strong Jr. has also had a very productive camp, putting himself in a good position to make the team as well.

Of course, there is always the possibility that Cleveland keeps Hines on the reserve/PUP list for the start of the regular season. That move would mean he doesn't count against the 53-man roster, but he would then have to miss the first four games of the regular season.

Another option is placing Hines on the IR with a designation that he will return off the list. Every team is only allowed to designate two such players as returners off the IR on roster cutdown day.

Those are certainly viable options for the Browns to explore, but at the very least they have a conversation to decipher about where Hines fits on this roster.