Browns: 5 players who won’t be on the roster by Week 1

2. JoJo Natson, wide receiver

Assuming the return of Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns already sported one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the league. Then they added Anthony Schwartz, one of the fastest players in the 2021 draft. And the aforementioned Demetric Felton signed with UCLA as a wide receiver before being moved to running back by Chip Kelly.

Natson played just three games last season, with one carry and four total kickoff and punt returns before a season-ending ACL tear. The Browns re-signed him to a one-year deal in March, but the money (less than $900,000) is not consequential and the team can clear all of it by cutting him.

Assuming his knee is good to go, Natson will to be the Browns’ return man. That spot might be more clearly open elsewhere

1. David Njoku, tight end

Trade rumors around Njoku seem as old as time by now, but here he is still on the Browns’ roster. In 13 games last season the former first-round pick had 19 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns, with Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant ahead of him in the pecking order.

According to Sharp Football Stats, the Browns had multiple tight ends on the field 49 percent of the time last season. So Njoku, who played a solid 39 percent of the snaps despite missing three games, certainly has some value to them. Seemingly as a reflection of that, they haven’t ceded to his desire to be traded and likely won’t unless they get what they perceive as value.

Njoku is making $6 million on his fifth year option this year. So if another team has a bigger role in mind for him, it’s an easy proposition to give up a draft pick in a trade. The level of that draft pick might be a hang-up for the Browns, but as they get more realistic Njoku is lined up to be gone before Week 1.