Three preseason games are in the books, and a lot has changed since the first edition of my 53-man roster projection before the start of training camp. The Browns will be required to trim their roster from 90 players to 75 players by this coming Tuesday. Listed below is my current 53-man roster projection, along with my explanations on some of the decisions below the table.

Pos Final Roster Players Cut QB Brian Hoyer

Johnny Manziel

Rex Grossman

Connor Shaw*

Tyler Thigpen

RB Ben Tate

Terrance West

Dion Lewis

Chris Ogbonnaya

Isaiah Crowell*

Edwin Baker*

FB MarQueis Grey

Ray Agnew

WR Josh Gordon

Andrew Hawkins

Miles Austin

Travis Benjamin

Nate Burleson

Taylor Gabriel

Anthony Armstrong

Charles Johnson*

Willie Snead*

Jonathan Krause

Marlon Moore - suspended for Week 1

Tim Smith

Chandler Jones

TE Jordan Cameron

Gary Barnidge

Jim Dray

Emmanuel Ogbuehi

Martell Webb

James Oboh

OL Joe Thomas

Joel Bitonio

Alex Mack

John Greco

Mitchell Schwartz

Garrett Gilkey

Paul McQuistan

Nick McDonald



Martin Wallace

Reid Fragel*

Alex Parsons

Jeremiah Warren

Randall Harris*

Keavon Milton

Abasi Salimu

Ryan Lee

Michael Bowie - projected to go on IR

Jason Pinkston

Chris Faulk

DL Desmond Bryant

Phil Taylor

Ahtyba Rubin

Armonty Bryant

Billy Winn

John Hughes

Ish'maaily Kitchen

Calvin Barnett*

Cam Henderson*

Jacobbi McDaniel

LB Jabaal Sheard

Chris Kirksey

Karlos Dansby

Paul Kruger

Barkevious Mingo

Craig Robertson

Zac Diles

Justin Staples

Tank Carder

Darius Eubanks

Jamaal Westerman

Eric Martin

Caleb McSurdy

Keith Pough

Edgar Jones

S Donte Whitner

Tashaun Gipson

Jordan Poyer

Jim Leonhard

Johnson Bademosi

Josh Aubrey*

Robert Nelson

Darwin Cook

CB Joe Haden

Buster Skrine

Justin Gilbert

Pierre Desir

Isaiah Trufant

Leon McFadden

Aaron Berry

T.J. Heath

K'Waun Williams

Royce Adams

ST Billy Cundiff

Spencer Lanning

Christian Yount

Jake Rogers



The list above contains 53 players that I kept, and 35 players that I cut. For the purposes of this first list, I am acting as if wide receiver Josh Gordon will not be suspended.

General Roster Projection Notes

Since the first addition of my list, I removed the following six players from my 53-man roster projection:



1. QB Connor Shaw

2. RB Chris Ogbonnaya

3. OT Chris Faulk

4. OL Jason Pinkston

5. ILB Darius Eubanks

6. OLB Jamaal Westerman



Four of the roster moves above came rather easy. Faulk has already been waived, Pinkston's blood clots basically forced him into retirement, Eubanks has been injured all of camp, and Westerman hasn't contributed much.





1. QB 2. RB 3. OT 4. OL 5. ILB 6. OLB Four of the roster moves above came rather easy. Faulk has already been waived, Pinkston's blood clots basically forced him into retirement, Eubanks has been injured all of camp, and Westerman hasn't contributed much. Since the first addition of my list, I added the following six players from my 53-man roster projection:



1. QB Rex Grossman

2. WR Taylor Gabriel

3. OL Nick McDonald

4. ILB Zac Diles

5. OLB Justin Staples

6. S Jim Leonhard



I will explain each of the roster decisions in the positional bullet points below.





1. QB 2. WR 3. OL 4. ILB 5. OLB 6. S I will explain each of the roster decisions in the positional bullet points below. Quarterback: Although Shaw has a good game under his belt, I think Kyle Shanahan will want Rex Grossman's knowledge on the team. The bonus is that I feel Cleveland can get away with Shaw on the practice squad, and if another team is desperate enough to stash him on their 53-man roster, we shouldn't be concerned about that -- after all, Johnny Manziel is the future of the franchise, not Shaw.





Although Shaw has a good game under his belt, I think will want knowledge on the team. The bonus is that I feel Cleveland can get away with Shaw on the practice squad, and if another team is desperate enough to stash him on their 53-man roster, we shouldn't be concerned about that -- after all, is the future of the franchise, not Shaw. Running Back: The reps don't lie: all preseason, Dion Lewis has been given the most reps besides the two obvious candidates to make the team ( Ben Tate and Terrance West ), so I'm keeping Lewis on the roster. A lot of fans had the thought that Isaiah Crowell would easily be the third running back, but how can we say that when he got hardly any work in training camp and only two carries this preseason? Ogbonnaya is a tough cut because in the back of my head, I wonder if the coaching staff is so content with him as a "mediocre but reliable back" that they are simply looking at other guys' worth (like Lewis).





The reps don't lie: all preseason, has been given the most reps besides the two obvious candidates to make the team ( and ), so I'm keeping Lewis on the roster. A lot of fans had the thought that would easily be the third running back, but how can we say that when he got hardly any work in training camp and only two carries this preseason? Ogbonnaya is a tough cut because in the back of my head, I wonder if the coaching staff is so content with him as a "mediocre but reliable back" that they are simply looking at other guys' worth (like Lewis). Wide Receiver: My mind is flirting with the thought of cutting Nate Burleson since he's missed all three preseason games with a hamstring injury. When I look at the candidates to take his spot, though, it becomes clear pretty quickly that Burleson has to stay on the roster. I'd say that Miles Austin has been a disappointment over the past few weeks too, so we need another veteran to pick up the slack. Anthony Armstrong still has a shot to make it, but I'm sticking with Travis Benjamin being the preferred deep-ball threat.



The guy who earned a spot this camp is Taylor Gabriel . He is the only undrafted free agent rookie who has stood out on the team. He has been great on special teams and has probably been the team's most consistent receiver (no drops, good route running). I still see Charles Johnson as a guy who needs development, so if the infatuation is still there for him, throw him on the practice squad. If Gordon gets suspended, I'd keep Armstrong or Johnson.





My mind is flirting with the thought of cutting since he's missed all three preseason games with a hamstring injury. When I look at the candidates to take his spot, though, it becomes clear pretty quickly that Burleson to stay on the roster. I'd say that has been a disappointment over the past few weeks too, so we need another veteran to pick up the slack. still has a shot to make it, but I'm sticking with being the preferred deep-ball threat. The guy who earned a spot this camp is . He is the only undrafted free agent rookie who has stood out on the team. He has been great on special teams and has probably been the team's most consistent receiver (no drops, good route running). I still see as a guy who needs development, so if the infatuation is still there for him, throw him on the practice squad. If Gordon gets suspended, I'd keep Armstrong or Johnson. Tight End: This position is pretty locked in. We'll double up on the fullback discussion here: although MarQueis Gray has been utilized a lot, he needs to work on his ball security. Grey has been getting the reps at fullback and tight end.





This position is pretty locked in. We'll double up on the fullback discussion here: although has been utilized a lot, he needs to work on his ball security. Grey has been getting the reps at fullback and tight end. Offensive Linemen: The second-team offensive line has played pretty poor, so I've decided not to keep any of the backup offensive tackles. Garrett Gilkey might not even be a lock, as I've previously addressed. The depth here took a hit with Jason Pinkston being forced into semi-retirement. The bold decision I made was moving Nick McDonald to the active roster. When the Browns claimed him off waivers, he was supposed to be out 4-6 weeks. That could mean a return around Week 1 or Week 2, and with three years of experience, he's probably better than the other guys on the back-end of the roster.





The second-team offensive line has played pretty poor, so I've decided not to keep any of the backup offensive tackles. might not even be a lock, as I've previously addressed. The depth here took a hit with being forced into semi-retirement. The bold decision I made was moving to the active roster. When the Browns claimed him off waivers, he was supposed to be out 4-6 weeks. That could mean a return around Week 1 or Week 2, and with three years of experience, he's probably better than the other guys on the back-end of the roster. Defensive Linemen: This entire unit stayed the same, but it's worth noting that Armonty Bryant's stock has risen big-time, to the point where I have him moving from the seventh-best lineman to perhaps the fourth-best lineman.





This entire unit stayed the same, but it's worth noting that stock has risen big-time, to the point where I have him moving from the seventh-best lineman to perhaps the fourth-best lineman. Linebacker: Veteran Zac Diles has taken advantage of his playing time, and he looks like a more-than-adequate backup inside linebacker for Karlos Dansby . He seems to fit the general mold of our other inside linebackers too. I still have Tank Carder off of the roster; he's played pretty poorly on defense, and with some of the other veteran additions this offseason, I think there are guys who can fill Carder's void on special teams.



At outside linebacker, I slotted Justin Staples in as the fourth outside linebacker. He's had a better overall camp than in 2013, and while I don't see him getting a lot of playing time, he can be an insurance policy.





Veteran has taken advantage of his playing time, and he looks like a more-than-adequate backup inside linebacker for . He seems to fit the general mold of our other inside linebackers too. I still have off of the roster; he's played pretty poorly on defense, and with some of the other veteran additions this offseason, I think there are guys who can fill Carder's void on special teams. At outside linebacker, I slotted in as the fourth outside linebacker. He's had a better overall camp than in 2013, and while I don't see him getting a lot of playing time, he can be an insurance policy. Safety: I've seen too many people say Johnson Bademosi is one of the best in the league on special teams, so I'm still living by that and keeping him on the roster. In my mind, though, he's basically not a safety. That is where Jim Leonhard comes in, a veteran who can immediately start in case someone gets hurt. Jordan Poyer has played a very versatile role, and I think he'll stay around because of that.





I've seen too many people say is one of the best in the league on special teams, so I'm still living by that and keeping him on the roster. In my mind, though, he's basically not a safety. That is where comes in, a veteran who can immediately start in case someone gets hurt. has played a very versatile role, and I think he'll stay around because of that. Cornerback: The best thing that could have happened for Leon McFadden happened -- a lot of injuries at cornerback, and thus a lot of preseason action for McFadden. He hasn't dominated the competition, but he's held his own. Given how Pierre Desir looked in game one before getting hurt, McFadden will probably begin the year ahead of him on the depth chart.





The best thing that could have happened for happened -- a lot of injuries at cornerback, and thus a lot of preseason action for McFadden. He hasn't dominated the competition, but he's held his own. Given how looked in game one before getting hurt, McFadden will probably begin the year ahead of him on the depth chart. Special Teams: This is the first time I ever remember a team going through the preseason with no backup kicker or punter. It's worked fine, though.





This is the first time I ever remember a team going through the preseason with no backup kicker or punter. It's worked fine, though. The single asterisks on the cut side represent my projected practice squad, which includes QB Connor Shaw, RB Isaiah Crowell, RB Edwin Baker, WR Charles Johnson, WR Willie Snead, OL Reid Fragel, OL Randall Harris, DL Calvin Barnett, DL Cam Henderson, and S Josh Aubrey.

Feel free to share your roster projections here, or some changes you would make to mine.