No Vacancy
Many Browns fans are still hoping GM Andrew Berry pulls another rabbit out of his hat and signs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Not me. It’s my belief the Browns wide receiver room is full, with no vacancies. Usually, Andrew Berry’s final 53-man roster has five to six wide receivers, but this year it might have to be six. Currently, those six are Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, David Bell, Marquise Goodwin and Cedric Tillman. This is a nice blend of size, (DPJ, Goodwin, Tillman), speed, (Goodwin, Moore) route runners, (Cooper, Moore, Bell), those who can line up outside (Cooper, DPJ, Goodwin, Tillman), inside (Moore, Bell) and veterans (Cooper, Goodwin).
A very underrated wide receiver room, barring injury. Why not carry seven wide receivers on the final 53-man roster? It would take away from another position group, that’s why.
In the past, Andrew Berry has carried two quarterbacks, two to three tight ends, five running backs and 10 offensive linemen. If you add that up, it doesn’t leave room for seven wide receivers. However, Berry does mix up the position groups for need. In 2022, the Browns final 53 had only two tight ends, five running backs and five wide receivers. Demetric Felton was listed as a RB/WR. In 2021, the final roster consisted of five running backs, three tight ends and five wide receivers. This time the extra running back was fullback Andy Janovich. The problem this year and its a good problem to have, the Browns have to have three quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster. Quarterback Dorian Thomson-Robinson will have to make the final roster because he’ll never slip through waivers and make it to the practice squad. Another team will pick him up.
There is one way the current roster could have seven wide receivers. I heard a proposal by one of my fellow contributors to the Fanatical Elfz Network, http://@ElfzNetwork Joel W. Cade, http://@TheLeftGuard. His proposal was the Browns could have only two running backs listed on the final roster and include Elijah Moore as a WR/RB, similar to last year when Felton was listed as RB/WR. Felton could safely pass through waivers and be placed on the practice squad in case of an emergency. Moore was used at several positions in college and during minicamps, including in the backfield. I’m very intrigued by this idea and Andrew Berry in the past has tried to get the most talented 53 players on the final roster. But the creation of an extra roster spot doesn’t mean the Browns will sign DeAndre Hopkins. If this extra roster spot was created, I personally think it would go to WR Jaelon Darden. He had a great minicamp and can return kicks. The Browns love his versatility.
While signing Hopkins would be one hell of an addition, I just can’t see it happening unless there’s an injury to one of the above-mentioned six. Currently, there’s no room.
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