Jackson not ready to settle on starting O-line

The 53 players that will comprise the Browns roster at 4 p.m. Sept. 1 after final cuts are made will not all be on the team for the season opener against the Steelers on Sept. 9. You can take that prediction to the bank or the end zone.

As the team with the worst record in the NFL in 2017 (016), the Browns have first crack at any player waived in the first three weeks of the season. Since most teams still had around 83 players, if not more, on their rosters after preseason games Aug. 30, close to 1,000 players will become available. It means the players at the bottom of the Browns roster are not safe.

“There will be a lot of moving parts as all of this plays out over the next few days, but I think that everyone within our organization is excited about the work that we have ahead and the opportunities that are in front of us,” Coach Hue Jackson said in a conference call on Aug. 31.

Jackson admitted the Browns are unlikely to add any “splash players” over the weekend, but he said “Nothing is off the table.”

Jackson, after a month of watching Joel Bitonio at left tackle and rookie Austin Corbett at left guard, surprisingly said the offensive line “is still fluid.”

“I want to reserve the right to just look at it all,” Jackson said. “I’m going to put the best five guys out there. Whether Joel’s playing tackle or guard, one thing we do know is he will be out there.

“I think (Corbett) has done some good things. I’ve always said from Day One that we’re going to play the best five guys. How that unfolds as we go through everything, we’ll make a decision about what we think is best. We’re still working through it.”

The Browns on Aug. 28 got a jump on tinkering with their offensive line when they signed guard Earl Watford, who two days earlier was released by the Arizona Cardinals. Watford played one series against the Lions in the preseason game Aug. 30 and has already shown Jackson enough to earn a spot on the roster.

“He gives us some more versatility, another proven player that has 33 starts in the National Football League,” Jackson said. “He’s been here for all of a day and a half. He walked in there and played some snaps. I didn’t want to play him too much.

“I just wanted to make sure that I can see something on tape and have him feel comfortable with his teammates and have him contribute a little bit. We’ll find out a little bit more about him this week as we get ready for the Steelers.”

Adding Watford might doom Spencer Drango for the waiver wire.

The Browns made 14 moves Aug. 31 to reduce the roster to 72. Another 19 spots must be cleared.

The contract of wide receiver Jeff Janis was terminated. Quarterback Brogan Roback was among 11 players waived. Linebacker Justin Currie and wide receiver C.J. Board were waived injured.

“Last night, I took the opportunity to thank all of our players that spent training camp with us,” Jackson said. “They all worked extremely hard and tried to do everything that we asked them to do. Unfortunately, there is only room for 53 on the roster and another 10 on the practice squad. That’s just how it works in the National Football League.”

The more difficult cuts for general manager John Dorsey will be made when he trims the final five or six players, but even at that point there are usually few surprises.

Then Dorsey gets to sit back and wait to see what bargains he can pick off the waiver wire from other teams. For the Browns general manager it will mean having exclusive shopping rights on Black Friday specials.