3 Browns That Won't Be on the Roster at the Start of the 2022 Season

The Cleveland Browns were expected to be a legitimate AFC threat in 2021, but injuries to key players caused them to fall short of expectations. Now that they've had the offseason to heal and make some significant changes, the Browns hope to have a better experience this fall.

The Cleveland fanbase is desperate for success and the Browns have to make the right roster decisions to ensure they deliver. Some tough calls will be made, but dreams of making the 53-man roster must be crushed if it helps the organization have a legitimate shot at a Super Bowl.

Here are three Browns players that won't be on the roster at the start of the 2022 NFL season.

Browns Roster Rumors

1. Baker Mayfield, QB

The Browns signaled the end of the Baker Mayfield era when they acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans this offseason. Mayfield has made it clear that he wants to leave the organization that disrespected him, but nothing has materialized just yet. Still, it makes no sense for the Browns to roster him for the 2022 season since it isn't worth having a backup QB with an $18.8 million cap hit. Whether Cleveland trades him or buys him out, all logic points to Mayfield playing elsewhere once the 2022 NFL season starts. The only question is where it'll be.

2. Nick Harris, C

Nic Harris seemed like he would be the no questioned starter after JC Tretter's departure, but the team signed Ethan Pocic and drafted Dawson Deaton, allowing some doubt to creep in about Harris' future in Cleveland. Sure, he could still win the job, but the Browns have options now, and depth at the very least. Cutting Harris would save the team roughly $800k in salary cap space.

3. Kareem Hunt, RB

This selection might be a long shot, but Kareem Hunt's job isn't as safe as it appears. He's only 26 years old, but he's also coming off a calf injury that held him to only eight games played in 2021. Leg injuries can be serious, especially when it comes to running backs, so there's no telling just how long he can remain healthy until proven otherwise. D'Ernest Johnson proved that he could be a great backup behind Nick Chubb last season and is also much cheaper than his veteran counterpart. Hunt's on the last year of the deal and the Browns can save $6.25 million by cutting or moving him, making it a conversation that Cleveland management should consider having.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.