Safety Sheldrick Redwine, wide receiver JoJo Natson among Browns first cuts as they begin trimming roster to – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns began the process of trimming their roster to 53 players on Monday. The team has until 4 p.m. on Tuesday to finalize its initial roster.

Wide receiver JoJo Natson, who played at the University of Akron, is among the players being waived, a source told cleveland.com,

Natson spent a year with the Jets and two with the Rams before signing with the Browns in 2020 in hopes of bolstering the team’s return game. He appeared in three games before tearing his ACL. The Browns drafted running back Demetric Felton and wide receiver Anthony Schwartz in the draft, two potential kick returners and Felton broke a 37-yard kick return in the team’s preseason finale in Atlanta.

Safety Sheldrick Redwine, a fourth-round pick in 2019, will also be waived, a league source confirmed.

The University of Miami product appeared in 27 games in his two seasons with the Browns, including 15 in 2020. He intercepted one pass and recorded half a sack. He also appeared in both of the team’s playoff games last season, starting against Pittsburgh and intercepting Ben Roethlisberger.

The Browns will also waive two young defensive linemen they took gambles on over the last year. Defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, an undrafted free agent out of Florida State the Browns pursued aggressively, is out, a source told cleveland.com.

So is defensive end Curtis Weaver, a league source confirmed. The Browns claimed Weaver, originally a fifth-round pick of the Dolphins, off of waivers in training camp in 2020, stashing him as he missed the season with a foot injury. He was unable to secure a job on the defensive line this season.

Elsewhere along the defensive line, the Browns are waiving defensive ends Porter Gustin and Cameron Malveaux, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Two tight ends are getting released. Kyle Markway, claimed last week, is getting waived, according to a source, as well as Jordan Franks.

Linebacker Tegray Scales, also claimed last week, will be waived, according to a source.

The Browns are also waiving quarterback Kyle Lauletta, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com. The Browns are not planning to bring Lauletta back to their practice squad, a source said.

Lauletta signed to the Browns practice squad last October He was originally drafted in 2018 by the Giants. He appeared in all three preseason games this year, completing 44-of-72 passes for 514 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Once initial rosters are set, teams will have until 4 p.m. on Wednesday to place waiver claims on players released during Tuesday’s final roster reduction.

The Browns will practice three days this week before players get the weekend off. The NFL season opens on Thursday, September 9, when the Cowboys travel to play the Buccaneers. The Browns open their season on Sunday, September 12, in Kansas City at 4:25 p.m.